The senior Congress leader and Chief Minister also praised the police for its quick action in such cases.

In a veiled reference to previous Bharatiya Janata Party government in Madhya Pradesh, state Chief Minister Kamal Nath on Saturday said that incidents of assault against government officials had become a norm in the last 15 years but had never come to the fore.

The senior Congress leader and Chief Minister also praised the police for its quick action in such cases.

"It is really saddening this had become their habit in the last 15 years. It didn't come to light then. Now it has come to light. Police have taken quick on such issues which is commendable. Police also must take strict action if any such incident occurs in the future," Mr Nath said when asked to respond on the multiple incidents of assault against officials in the state.

Two such incidents took place in the state in a week in which government officials were allegedly thrashed.

In one incident, Akash Vijayvargiya, son of senior party leader Kailash Vijayvargiya, was arrested for thrashing a Municipal Corporation officer on June 26. The case has been transferred to Bhopal's Special Court. He was sent to judicial custody till July 7 but today was granted bail by a special court in Bhopal.

While in another case, Devratna Soni, who heads the Satna Nagar Panchayat Office, was injured after he was allegedly beaten up by BJP Panchayat president Ram Sushil Patel and others with sticks outside the city council office. Ram Sushil Patel was arrested in the alleged connection in the case and was later sent to judicial custody by Amarpatan Court in Satna.