Rajasthan candidate arrested day after slapped SDM
The Hindu
Independent MLA candidate arrested for assaulting SDM during polling in Rajasthan, leading to violence and tension in the area.
Independent MLA candidate from Rajasthan’s Tonk district Naresh Meena was arrested on Thursday (November 14, 2024), a day after he slapped a sub-divisional magistrate during polling in full view of camera crews.
Mr. Meena, a Congress rebel contesting as an Independent, caught SDM Malpura, Amit Chaudhary, by his collar and slapped him, an official said.
Mr. 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. Mr. 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.
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 Mr. Meena, including for disrupting public work and damaging public property.
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