Former Congress leader Naresh Meena, who contested the Deoli-Uniara Assembly bye-polls in Rajasthan’s Tonk district as an Independent candidate, was arrested on Thursday for allegedly slapping a sub-divisional magistrate, reported PTI.
Voting for the Deoli-Uniara bye-polls was held on Wednesday. Videos of the incident were shared widely on social media and showed Meena purportedly slapping Malpura Sub-Divisional Magistrate Amit Choudhary at a polling station in Samravata village in Tonk.
Area residents boycotted the polls over their demand to include Samravata village in the Uniara sub-division instead of Deoli, according to PTI. Meena had supported the demand.
Claiming that he had been “informed the SDM [sub-divisional magistrate] had allowed three fake voters to cast their votes”, Meena also joined a sit-in protest with his supporters, reported The Indian Express.
“The public got agitated when they saw those three workers under the SDM cast their vote but I handled the situation,” he claimed.
However, at around 10 pm on Wednesday, Meena’s supporters clashed with the police, resulting in more than 50 persons getting injured. Over 60 vehicles were set on fire, The Indian Express quoted unidentified officials as saying.
The police reportedly fired tear gas to control the crowd.
Chaudhary and Tonk District Collector Saumya Jha were asked to file a report about the incident, according to the newspaper. A first information report has been registered based on their submissions.
“Naresh Meena has been arrested from the spot,” said Jha. “The Bhartiya Nayay Sanhita and Representation of People’s Act provisions are included in the FIR. If the challan is provided in the court, based on this, the Election Commission can disqualify the candidate.”
The Rajasthan Administrative Service, meanwhile, threatened to go on strike if no action was taken against Meena.
On November 6, the Congress had suspended Meena from the party for filing his nomination as an Independent candidate.
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