Rajasthan bypolls: MLA candidate Naresh Meena, who slapped SDM in Tonk, arrested amid violence (WATCH)

Independent MLA candidate Naresh Meena was arrested after intense drama and violent clashes on Thursday, following an incident in which he slapped an SDM during polling in Rajasthan's Tonk district. This event triggered separate waves of protest from his supporters and Rajasthan Administrative Service (RAS) officials.

The conflict began on Wednesday afternoon, when Meena, a Congress rebel running as an Independent in the bypolls, was caught on camera grabbing SDM Malpura Amit Chaudhary by the collar and slapping him. Tensions simmered overnight and escalated on Thursday.

Government operations were disrupted statewide as members of the RAS Association and allied services staged a pen-down strike, demanding Meena’s arrest. They vowed to continue their strike until meeting with Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma.

Meanwhile, Meena’s alleged supporters gathered in protest. Violence erupted outside a polling booth in Samravta village, within the Deoli-Uniara assembly constituency, when police attempted to prevent Meena and his supporters from staging a sit-in protest. About 60 motorbikes and 18 vehicles, including police cars, were set on fire, and crowds hurled stones at the police. By early Thursday, around 60 people had been arrested in connection with the violence.

As the morning unfolded, tensions escalated. "I will not surrender," a defiant Naresh Meena declared to the gathered camera crews in Samravta, located about 100 km from Jaipur, shortly after his arrest.

Amidst the unrest, police maintained a heavy presence, ensuring the situation did not worsen. The arrest had been meticulously planned.

A strong police force, including senior officers in full riot gear, was deployed to the village, where they conducted a flag march. Tonk Superintendent of Police, Vikas Sangwan, gave the final order to the police team to proceed with Meena’s arrest.

To disperse the agitated crowd, police fired teargas shells. While some individuals threw stones at the officers, no injuries were reported. Meena's supporters attempted to block roads, but the police cleared the way.

"It could be anyone… the government is strict with those who commit crime. We are getting the entire incident investigated and asked for a report and soon action will be taken against those who are guilty," said Minister of State for Home Jawahar Singh Bedham.

According to Om Prakash, Inspector General of Police (Ajmer), four cases have been filed against Naresh Meena, including charges for disrupting public work and damaging public property.

The incident unfolded when SDM Amit Chaudhary, who was on election duty, attempted to encourage voter turnout in Samravta, a village that had boycotted the polls. The boycott was in protest of a demand to have Samravta included in the Uniara sub-division instead of Deoli. Meena, supporting the villagers, became involved in the situation.

At the time of the confrontation, hundreds of people were gathered outside the polling station. Meena later staged a sit-in protest outside the booth, urging his supporters to join him, some armed with sticks.

After the polling ended, police requested that Meena and his supporters disperse so the election team could depart with the EVM machines. However, the situation turned violent when Meena and his supporters allegedly began pelting stones at the police.

Before his arrest, Meena placed the blame on Tonk District Collector Saumya Jha and Superintendent of Police Vikas Sangwan for the events that transpired.

“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."

"Such an incident is not tolerable. SDM Amit Chaudhary was slapped when he was doing his election duty fairly. The association is on a pen-down strike on Thursday. We will call off the strike after a representation with the chief minister on other demands. All our demands are constitutional. We don't want to let the public work suffer," RAS Association General Secretary Neetu Rajeshwar was quoted as saying in a PTI report.

Polling for the bypolls on seven assembly seats, including Deoli-Uniara, took place yesterday from 7 am to 6 pm. The counting of votes will be held on November 23.