Rajasthan poll candidate held after backers go on rampage to prevent arrest
Independent assembly by-poll candidate Naresh Meena slapped sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) Amit Chaudhary at Samrawata in Rajasthan’s Tonk district on Wednesday
Independent assembly by-poll candidate Naresh Meena was arrested on Thursday a day after his supporters torched vehicles and threw stones at a police team sent to arrest him for slapping a sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) at Samrawata in Rajasthan’s Tonk district. At least 60 people were injured in the violence.
A video of the incident purportedly showed Meena pulling SDM Amit Chaudhary’s collars and slapping him even as police tried to stop him. Meena was also heard abusing the police.
Mahaveer Kharadi, the chief of the Rajasthan Administrative Service Officers Association, which demanded Meena’s immediate arrest and warned of a boycott of work if action was not taken, welcomed the action. “We are thankful to the CM [chief minister Bhajan Lal Sharma] and the police for arresting him soon. This is a much-needed action to ensure the safety of the administrative officers. We have called to boycott the work for a day. We will also speak to the CM and urge him to ensure no such incident takes place again.”
Inspector general (Ajmer range) Om Prakash earlier said Meena fled the spot and that they were searching for him. He added eight police personnel were among those injured. Meena said at least 60 people have been arrested for the violence.
Meena, who contested the by-poll as an independent candidate after the Congress denied him the ticket and was suspended from the party, slapped Chaudhary when the official went to speak to a group of people in Samrawata boycotting the polling demanding inclusion of their area under the jurisdiction of the Uniara tehsil.
Meena joined the protesters and also alleged his election symbol was blurred intentionally on the voting machine. “When Chaudhary along with a police force arrived on the spot and was trying to pacify the people, Meena suddenly slapped him,” said a second police officer.
Police superintendent Vikas Sangwan said Meena’s supporters accused the police of blocking food packets sent for the protesters when they went to arrest him after the voting finished. “They surrounded the police team and started throwing stones. Meena came to speak to one of the officers when he was detained. But he fled while his supporters attacked police.”
Additional police forces were deployed in the area and tear gas shells were fired to disperse the crowd.
Meena maintained he offered to surrender. “The police should investigate the matter fairly. They tortured my supporters. The SDM did wrong and I slapped him.”