Rajasthan bypolls: Violence erupted outside a polling booth in Tonk district of Rajasthan where bypolls were being held on November 13 when alleged supporters of Independent candidate Naresh Meena pelted stones at police and set ablaze several vehicles on Wednesday night.
This happened after the police force tried to remove Meena and his supporters who were on a 'dharna' while voting for bypolls were being held outside a polling station in Samravta village in the Deoli-Uniara assembly constituency.
IG Ajmer Omprakash said heavy police force deployment was made in the village. The exact number of vehicles burnt will be clear after the mob is dispersed, he said, adding that there was confirmation of one vehicle being set ablaze by the mob. Police are engaged in bringing law and order under control, the officer said.
SDM is agent of BJP: Naresh Meena
Independent candidate from Deoli-Uniara assembly constituency, Naresh Meena said, "SDM has no caste. I would've beaten him no matter what caste he belonged to. This is the only treatment to mend their ways. We did not do anything since morning, we were patiently waiting for his arrival. Food arrangements were not made for us. I was here on this stage when I fainted. My supporters took me to the hospital and when there was a 'mirchi-bomb' blast, my supporters carried me to another village where I rested all night. Whatever happened was done by the police. Why was the SDM bossing around here? He is an agent of the BJP."
60 people arrested so far
Ajmer Range IG, Om Prakash said, "After yesterday's event, 4 cases have been registered and 60 people have been arrested so far. Based on technical evidence, efforts are on to arrest the other accused as well. Nearly 10 police personnel have been minorly injured and have been discharged after being given first aid. The miscreants had come from outside and many villagers were also injured during stone pelting. Some private vehicles were also torched in the process. No accused will be spared. A case has been registered under cases of causing obstruction to government work, fleeing police custody, and vandalising public property. Many cases are already registered against the accused with impending arrests. We will arrest him on all charges and ensure stringent action."
As per reports, Naresh Meena is still absconding and the police team have not been able to arrest him yet.
Stones pelted at police by mob
Stones were pelted at the police who lobbed tear gas shells to control the situation. Hundreds of people were present at the dharna outside a polling station in which Meena earlier in the day had slapped an RAS officer engaged in election duty.
He later sat on a dharna outside a polling booth in Samravta village and asked his supporters to gather at the dharna with sticks. After polling was over, police asked Meena and his supporters to disperse from outside the polling station so that the polling party could leave the station with EVM machines. However, police said, they turned violent and pelted stones at police.
Meena slapped SDM Malpura Amit Chaudhary for making efforts to get more people to vote while locals had boycotted polling over a demand. Meena was supporting the villagers.
RAS officers' association has demanded the arrest of Meena and warned of a pen-down strike from Thursday across the state if he was not arrested.
Rajasthan bypolls
Polling for bypolls on seven assembly seats, including Deoli-Uniara, was held from 7 am to 6 pm and counting will take place on November 23 (Saturday).
Naresh Meena, a Congress rebel, contested the election from Deoli-Uniara constituency as an independent candidate.
RAS Association demands action against Naresh Meena who slapped SDM
RAS Association in Rajasthan on Wednesday demanded action against the Independent candidate Naresh Meena who slapped Sub Divisional Officer (SDM) Amit Chaudhary. The incident took place in the Deoli-Uniyara Assembly seat of Tonk district during bypolls on Wednesday.
Earlier, Independent candidate Naresh Meena, assaulted and slapped SDM Amit Chaudhary posted on duty, accusing him of blurring the election symbol on the EVM machines.
Meanwhile, RAS Association Secretary Neetu Rajeshwari said that she met Chief Secretary Sudhanshu Pant, ACS Home Anand Kumar and Chief Electoral Officer Naveen Mahajan regarding the incident and submitted a memorandum.
She requested to take action against Naresh Meena. “Arrest him. If he is not arrested, a pen-down strike will be held on Thursday,” said another employee organisation while coming out in open support of the strike of the RAS Association.
SDM paid no heed to people's problems: Naresh Meena
“I have been sitting in this village for four hours as people here boycotted voting since 7 am. Villagers have been requesting the collector to make some arrangements. The collector did not come. SDM was posted here but he paid no heed to their problems. So, this was the answer to SDM,” Naresh Meena said.
The seat became vacant after Harish Chandra Meena, who was elected MLA from Deoli-Uniyara seat in the 2023 Assembly elections, was elected as MP from Tonk-Sawai Madhopur. In 2023, Harish Chandra Meena defeated Vijay Bainsala of BJP.
Bypolls for seven seats in Rajasthan were necessitated after five MLAs were elected as MPs in Jhunjhunu, Dausa, Chorasi, Khinvsar and Deoli Uniara. Two MLAs had passed away in Ramgarh and Salumber, leaving the Assembly constituency vacant.
