Violent clashes were reported in Rajasthan’s Samravata village of Tonk district during by-elections at the Deoli-Uniara assembly seat. The unrest erupted late on Wednesday, November 13 when independent candidate Naresh Meena allegedly slapped a sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) Amit Chaudhary at the polling booth.
According to media reports, the conflict was triggered when supporters of Meena accused the Election Commission of rigging the votes. They demanded that the village be included in the Uniara tehsil instead of Deoli, which, they believed was more convenient.
The clash started when Meena, a Congress rebel turned independent candidate, entered the polling station in Deoli subdivision and confronted Chaudhary.
The slap incident was shot on camera which quickly went viral. The footage unambiguously shows Meena physically assaulting the SDM, which led to heightened tensions among his supporters who subsequently staged a sit-in protest outside the polling station.
When the police arrested Meena, his supporters retaliated violently and started throwing stones at the officers. The agitated crowd also set several vehicles ablaze, including the police vehicles and private cars parked in the vicinity.
To curb the escalating violence, police used tear gases. Reports indicate that at least 60 people were arrested.
In a statement, a senior police official said that the protesters destroyed approximately 24 large vehicles and dozens of motorcycles were torched amid the chaos. Several high-rank police officers also suffered casualties, with at least 10 sustaining severe injuries due to the stone pelting.
Internet in the region has been suspended to avoid escalation of tension. Special Task Force units were deployed to conduct searches and to quell the disturbances. The situation remains volatile as police continue to monitor developments.
Meena’s actions have drawn widespread condemnation from all over and the local administrative body called for his arrest. However, he justified his actions and argued that he was acting in defence of residents of the area who felt marginalized by the electoral processes.
