Rajasthan bypolls: MLA Naresh Meena arrested day after he slaps SDM

A day after Naresh Meena, independent candidate from Rajasthan’s Tonk district, slapped a sub-divisional magistrate during the violence that had broken out during polling in full view of camera crews, he was arrested.

Meena, a Congress rebel contesting as an Independent in the Rajasthan bypolls, caught SDM Malpura, Amit Chaudhary, by his collar and slapped him.

An official told the media that Chaudhary was trying to get more people to vote in the bypolls held on Wednesday. Locals had boycotted polling over a demand to include Samravta village in Uniara sub-division instead of in Deoli. Meena was supporting the villagers.

The incident led to tension in the area with vehicles being torched, police being pelted with stones and 60 people arrested.

Poll violence

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About 60 two-wheelers and 18 four-wheelers were torched in the violence that erupted outside the polling booth. Police personnel tried to remove Meena and his supporters who sat on a dharna in Samravta village in the Deoli-Uniara assembly constituency.

The Rajasthan Administrative Services (RAS) Association called for a pen-down strike and government work was affected for some time in the morning.

Four cases were registered against Meena, including for disrupting public work and damaging public property. 

(With inputs from agencies)