Senior Congress Leader Hidayat Patel Attacked in Akola

Condition Critical

AKOLA | January 6, 2026

A shocking incident has emerged from the Akola district of Maharashtra, where senior Congress leader and Vice President of the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC), Hidayat Patel, was brutally attacked this afternoon. The incident took place in his ancestral village, Mohala (Akot Tehsil), leaving him critically injured.

According to preliminary reports, the attack occurred while Patel was returning from a mosque after offering afternoon prayers. The assailants, reportedly armed with sharp weapons and knives, launched a sudden and violent assault. Patel sustained deep wounds to his abdomen and neck. The attackers fled the scene immediately after the incident.Covered in blood, Patel was first rushed to a private hospital in Akot for primary care. However, due to his deteriorating condition and significant blood loss, doctors referred him to a multi-specialty hospital in Akola.

 He has undergone emergency surgery and is currently in the ICU. Medical professionals have stated that the next 24 to 48 hours are extremely critical for his recovery. Political Rivalry Suspected Initial police investigations and local sources suggest the attack is a fallout of old political enmity.

 The attack is allegedly linked to a 2019 dispute. Reports identify the suspect as Ubed Patel, the nephew of Matin Patel (a BJP worker who was killed in 2019). Hidayat Patel was one of the accused in that previous murder case. The police are investigating if this was an act of retaliation stemming from those past tensions.

Tension in the Region

The news of the attack has sparked intense tension across Akola and Akot.A large number of Congress workers have gathered outside the hospital, demanding immediate justice.

 To prevent any communal or political flare-ups, the administration has deployed heavy police security in Mohala village and around the hospital premises. The deployment of State Reserve Police Force (SRPF) units is also being considered.

The Akola Police have formed multiple teams to nab the culprits. A case is being registered under sections related to Attempt to Murder and rioting. Crime Branch teams are currently conducting raids at various locations to locate the primary suspect, Ubed Patel, and his associates.

 Official Reaction from Congress.

The Maharashtra Congress has expressed outrage over the incident

 Senior leaders have condemned the attack, calling it a total collapse of "law and order" in the state.

Local units have issued a 24-hour ultimatum to the police. They have threatened a district-wide "Chakka Jam" (roadblock) and intense protests if the main culprits are not arrested within a day.