Violence in Rajasthan after bypoll candidate held for slapping SDM

Independent MLA candidate Naresh Meena was arrested following high drama and violence on Thursday a day after he slapped SDM Malpura Amit Chaudhary outside a polling booth in Rajasthan’s Tonk district.

The violence has been going on since Wednesday evening when the police tried to stop Meena’s supporters from sitting on dharna.

The slap, videos of which were circulated widely on social media, set in motion differing protests from both his supporters and Rajasthan Administrative Service (RAS) officials. The tension that started outside the polling booth yesterday continued through the night and well into Thursday.

Work across government offices in the state was hit in the morning with officials of the RAS Association and allied services going on a pen-down strike demanding that Meena be arrested.

Ranged against them were Meena’s alleged supporters. About 60 two-wheelers and 18 four-wheelers, including police vehicles, were torched in the violence that erupted outside the polling booth in Samravta village in the Deoli-Uniara Assembly constituency when the police tried to prevent the dharna.

About 60 people were arrested in the early hours of Thursday following the violence that also saw people pelting stones at police personnel.

As the morning progressed, tension spiralled. “I will not surrender,” said a defiant Meena in Samravta after he was taken into custody.

As the restless crowd could be seen roaming the village, the police increased vigil to ensure that nothing more goes wrong. The arrest was planned with care.

The police were deployed in full strength and held a flag march. Tonk Superintendent of Police Vikas Sangwan gave the final direction to the police team to enter the village and take Meena in the custody.

The police fired teargas shells to disperse the mob after Meena’s arrest. Some also pelted stones at the police, but no one suffered injuries. Alleged supporters of Meena also blocked roads.

According to Inspector General of Police (Ajmer) Om Prakash, four cases, including for disrupting public work and damaging public property, were registered against Meena.

It all started when Chaudhary, who was on election duty, was trying to get people to vote in the village, which had boycotted polling over a demand that Samravta be included in the Uniara sub-division instead of Deoli. Meena was supporting the villagers.

Hundreds of people were present outside the polling station when it happened. Meena later sat on a dharna outside a polling booth and asked his supporters to gather with sticks.

After the polling, the police asked Meena and his supporters to disperse so that polling party could leave the station with EVM machines. However, the police said they turned violent and pelted stones at them.

Before his arrest, Meena blamed Tonk District Collector Saumya Jha and SP Sangwan for what had happened.

“All 60 people who have been arrested are innocent. If anyone should be punished, it should be me,” he said, alleging that the SDM on election duty had been working on the directions of the BJP.

“He got 30 people to vote by threatening them to take action against them. I could not stop myself. I slapped him. It is correct. Seeing his nature, he should have been slapped more,” said Meena.