Who is Divya Ahirwar, who came into limelight with Madhya Pradesh's 'Chita Movement'?

Some time ago, these pictures of women lying on pyres and people hanging on crosses from Madhya Pradesh had attracted the attention of the entire country.

Now some protesters of this movement have been accused of attempt to murder. These also include 25 year old Divya Ahirwar, who has been in jail for almost a month.

According to the police of Panna district of Madhya Pradesh, during the protest on September 28, Divya Ahirwar and 12 other people pressed the neck of policeman Bhupal Singh Bhadauria and tried to kill him.

After the Ken-Betwa project, all these people were now doing 'Chita Andolan' with the families affected by the Mazgaon Dam project of Panna district.

In this case, a case has been registered against Divya Ahirwar and others under sections 190, 191(2), 191(3), 109(1), 296(B) and 351(3) of BNS.

These include charges like attempt to murder, rioting and criminal intimidation. Divya has been in jail for almost a month.

A total of 13 people have been named in the FIR.

Apart from Divya, a total of 13 people are named in the FIR in this case. These include Amit Bhatnagar, who led the movement, Hisabi Rajput and Deepak Dwivedi, a member of the affected family.

Divya's lawyer Anjana Kuraria told BBC News Hindi that the district court has rejected her bail plea.

The defense had presented many things in the court including video footage and newspaper cuttings.

According to the lawyer, "The court refused to grant bail considering the allegations to be prima facie serious."

The lawyer challenged this order in the High Court on 27 October.

Panna Superintendent of Police Nivedita Naidu told BBC News Hindi, "The police have taken action as per the law and the investigation is going on rapidly."

He said that the information about the evidence being collected during the investigation cannot be made public at present.

After all, how was a case of attempt to murder registered against Divya and others, who came into limelight after the 'Chita Movement' in April this year, and what questions are being raised on Divya's arrest?

Police accused of filing false FIR

Divya's lawyer Anjana Kuraria has accused the FIR of having many flaws and registering a false FIR.

He said, "The FIR mentions an attempt to murder a policeman. However, it is not written anywhere about Divya's role in this alleged incident."

He claimed that the accused who faced more serious charges than Divya got bail within 10 days while Divya is still in jail.

In the FIR registered by Panna police, it is written that on September 28, the police received information that absconding accused Divya Ahirwar and Hisabi Rajput in the attempt to murder case had come to Banharikala village.

In May 2026, a case of stone pelting on police and attempt to murder was registered against Divya Ahirwar, Hisabi Rajput, Amit Bhatnagar and others at Kishangarh police station in Chhatarpur.

Amit Bhatnagar, who is leading the 'Chita Movement', said, "See, we have been protesting in Banharikala village since the beginning of September for the rights of the families affected by the Mazgaon Dam."

"During this period, the police and administration came here several times. In such a situation, the police saying that the information was received through an informer seems like a crude joke."

Amit further said, "The second thing is that a case has been registered against Divya and us in Kishangarh police station. Even after this FIR, we have been protesting in Kishangarh police station area only."

"So the question arises, what were the police doing till then?"

Anjana accused the police of working with a spirit of revenge.

He said, "The police want to break the courage of the other agitators by keeping Divya in jail. This is a complete misuse of the powers given to the police."

"We have now placed the matter before the High Court."

What did the police say on the allegations?

When BBC News Hindi questioned Panna Superintendent of Police (SP) Nivedita Naidu on this entire matter, she said, "The police have taken action following the law and the prescribed procedure."

He further said, "FIR is a public document and its facts can be understood by reading."

He also said, "The investigation of the case is ongoing and the evidence being collected during the investigation cannot be made public."

In his reply, the Superintendent of Police did not clarify what action has been taken so far against the remaining people named in the FIR.

He also did not tell what evidence the police have found so far in relation to Divya's arrest and detention, due to which the police has opposed her bail plea.

On the other hand, Divya's mother Goribai Ahirwar and her family are very worried about Divya's safety.

'My daughter is not doing anything wrong'

Divya's mother, in a phone conversation with BBC News Hindi, said that her daughter was raising her voice for the poor and laborers and she had done nothing wrong.

She cried while talking.

He told that Divya's father had died in the year 2013. After this, he worked as a laborer and raised and educated his five children.

According to Divya's mother, her daughter has been a promising girl in the house.

When Divya talked about contesting elections for the first time, she was surprised.

She says, "Brother, my family was so poor that I never even thought that someone from my family could contest elections."

"I didn't even know whether we were counted or not when we went to vote."

But Divya contested the elections and became a councilor.

According to her mother, after this she started helping the troubled and exploited people of her area.

Divya's mother said, "I am crying because I love my daughter. I am not able to see my daughter. My daughter has been in jail for a long time."

"I am also afraid for him that something might happen to him. It is not easy for any mother to see her child in jail."

"But I will fully support her. I stand by her every decision because she is not doing anything wrong."

Movement for compensation and rehabilitation

The families affected by the dam projects in Panna and Chhatarpur areas have been demanding compensation and rehabilitation for a long time.

People involved in the movement allege that despite the filling of water in the dam and the houses coming under submergence, many families have not received full compensation.

He also says that the assurances given earlier by the administration were not fulfilled.

Amit Bhatnagar, who is leading the movement, told BBC News Hindi that there have been irregularities in the distribution of compensation.

They allege that many eligible families did not receive proper compensation and the complaints of the affected people were not heard.

Apart from Divya, the name of Deepak Dwivedi, a member of a family affected by the Mazgaon Dam Project, is also named in the FIR registered in this case.

Deepak told BBC News Hindi that hundreds of families like his have been complaining to the government and administration for a long time on the issue of compensation and rehabilitation, but their demands are not being heard.

Deepak has also accused the police of taking fake action.

He said, "According to the police, neither I nor Amit Bhatnagar were present at the spot when the incident took place."

"Despite this, both our names have been registered in the FIR. Now what would be a bigger proof than this that this case is fake?"

Accusation of selectively targeting Divya

Amit Bhatnagar, who is leading the movement, told BBC News Hindi that the police has targeted and arrested Divya.

He claimed, "Out of the 13 people named in the FIR, eight had themselves gone to the police to seek their arrest."

“But the police took action against us under Section 170 of the Indian Civil Security Code (BNSS) and later released us, while Divya is still in jail.”

Even after Divya's arrest, the movement of the affected families continues in Panna demanding compensation and rehabilitation.

Divya Ahirwar and this movement are now also getting political support.

On Tuesday, former Rajya Sabha MP and senior CPI(M) leaders Vrinda Karat and Amit Bhatnagar met Divya Ahirwar in Panna jail.

Earlier, Madhya Pradesh Congress President Jitu Patwari had also met him.

After meeting Divya, Vrinda Karat and Amit Bhatnagar said that Divya has said that she will continue fighting for the rights of displaced families even from jail.