Bharatiya Janata Party’s Delhi unit chief Manoj Tiwari on Monday alleged that the ransacking of his North Avenue home late on Sunday was a conspiracy and an attempt to take his life. Tiwari was not at home when the incident took place. “It looks like a big conspiracy, that too with police involvement,” he said. “No one should be spared.”

Eyewitnesses told ANI that a gang of seven to eight people had attacked the BJP leader’s house. “We don’t know their intention or the reason behind the attack, but they were very abusive...They were not scared of the police,” an eyewitness told the news agency.

Advertisement

The police have arrested four people in connection with the incident. Investigators initially said the incident appeared to be a fallout of a “dispute over road rage”, however, they later rejected the theory. “Doesn’t look like a case of simple road rage. Few people apprehended, taking matter seriously,” the police said.

Tiwari said the men had entered his house forcibly, vandalised his room and injured two of his staff. He also alleged that the police had a hand in the attack. “The way a policeman escorted them to the house after they created a ruckus shows that there is definitely a conspiracy behind this,” he claimed, adding that he would inform the Home Ministry about the incident, Hindustan Times reported.

The police, however, downplayed the incident and said Tiwari’s house had not been ransacked. Officers said it had been a fallout of a case of road rage, reported The Times of India. “Initial investigation suggests that Tiwari’s SUV had hit the car of the accused close to where he lives. But instead of calling the police, they started misbehaving with the occupants,” Deputy Commissioner of Police BK Singh told The Hindu.

This comes days after the BJP swept the civic body elections in Delhi. Tiwari is credited for the party’s victory.