3 min readJaipurApr 30, 2026 08:53 PM IST

A Bharatiya Janata Party MLA from Sri Ganganagar was allegedly assaulted during a public hearing Thursday morning, with an FIR filed against three people, including a government official.

The incident occurred around 11 a.m. at the MLA Service Centre at SD Bihani College. The MLA said three officials, including an assistant engineer, attacked him during a meeting convened to address disruptions in the city’s water supply. “I suffered injuries to one eye and my face, and my glasses were also broken,” Bihani said.

Three people—Rajasthan Urban Infrastructure Development Project (RUIDP) Assistant Engineer Jaganlal Bairwa, L&T Project Manager Shahnawaz, and L&T Planning Manager Soham—have been arrested, Station House Officer Devendra Singh Rathod said.

Bihani said the meeting was called to address an ongoing water crisis. He accused RUIDP and L&T of failing to complete a Rs 550-crore water project within the deadline and alleged large-scale corruption. “RUIDP and L&T have disrupted the water supply to the entire city. People can’t even get water to use the bathroom,” he said, adding he would raise the matter with the Assembly Speaker, the Chief Minister, and the Chief Secretary.

An engineers’ association condemned the arrests, accusing the MLA’s men of striking first and calling it a “premeditated and life-threatening physical assault”. It also sought an inquiry, threatening protests.

“The act was perpetrated by the MLA and his supporters against our fellow engineers—Er. Chhaganlal Bairwa and others—in Ganganagar is not only inhumane, but it also constitutes a severe assault on the self-respect of the entire engineering fraternity of Rajasthan,” said Balram Jakhar, State President, Rajasthan Council of Diploma Engineers.

He added: “The torn shirts and the spilled blood of our colleagues stand as irrefutable evidence of the incident’s brutality—evidence which the MLA and his associates even conspired to conceal by attempting to force new shirts onto the victims”.

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Former chief minister Ashok Gehlot sought to corner the Bhajan Lal government over the incident.

“The assault on BJP MLA Shri Jaydeep Bihani from Shri Ganganagar by RUIDP officials is a symbol of the growing anarchy in the state. If even a ruling party MLA faces such violence, what will be the plight of the common people? The government must take such incidents seriously; the government’s prestige among the public is rapidly eroding,” he said on X.

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Parul Kulshrestha is a Principal Correspondent for The Indian Express, based in Rajasthan. A lawyer turned journalist, she brings a unique cross-disciplinary perspective to her reporting, blending legal precision with deep social inquiry to cover one of India’s most culturally and politically vibrant regions.

Expertise and Experience


Legal-Journalistic Synergy: Parul’s transition from a legal background to mainstream journalism provides her with a distinct advantage in interpreting policy, legislation, and judicial impacts. This expertise allows her to “read between the lines” of government orders and court rulings affecting the public.


Diverse Beat: With years of experience across both mainstream newsrooms and independent journalism, she has built high-level authority in several critical areas:



Nomadic Tribes & Marginalized Communities: She is recognized for her sensitive and in-depth reporting on the struggles and rights of Rajasthan’s nomadic populations, often giving a voice to those outside the traditional political spotlight.


Gender & Social Justice: Parul focuses on the intersection of law and gender, covering issues ranging from women’s safety and reproductive rights to the socio-economic empowerment of rural women.


Environmental & Political Reporting: She tracks Rajasthan’s complex political landscape—including electoral shifts and bureaucratic changes—alongside critical environmental concerns like water scarcity and land use.




Academic & Professional Pedigree: Her background as a lawyer, combined with her rise to the rank of Principal Correspondent at a national broadsheet, establishes her as a senior voice in the media landscape. … Read More

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