In a shocking turn of events at a Rajasthan polling booth, Naresh Meena, an independent candidate from the Deoli-Uniara constituency, was caught on video slapping Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Amit Choudhary. The incident occurred at the Samravata polling station during the ongoing by-election. The video, which has gone viral, shows Meena walking into the booth and slapping SDM Choudhary, who was present to oversee election procedures. Police were quick to intervene and restrained Meena shortly after the altercation.
The incident has sparked controversy as Meena, a former Congress leader, was recently suspended from the party for contesting the election as an independent candidate. His decision to run against the Congress nominee, Kastor Chand Meena, in the Deoli-Uniara bypoll has raised concerns of vote splitting among the electorate. Meena is now backed by the Bharat Adivasi Party.
In a statement, Meena accused the SDM of influencing the election process. “The SDM posted here used three of his people and made them vote,” he claimed. He further urged voters to “hit them with votes,” encouraging them to reject the alleged manipulation.
The police, however, have denied the accusations of voter manipulation. Superintendent of Police for Tonk, Vikas Sangwan, stated that Meena’s actions were unwarranted and that he had been escorted out of the polling booth. “The SDM and Tehsil officers had gone to negotiate with people who were boycotting the elections. The independent candidate slapped the SDM, and the additional SP had to intervene and remove him from the room,” Sangwan said.
The Deoli-Uniara seat became vacant after Congress leader Harish Chandra Meena, who had held the position since 2018, vacated it following his election to the Lok Sabha. The by-election is being closely watched by political observers as a test of influence for both Congress and independent candidates like Meena.
Authorities have indicated that legal action will be taken, with the SDM reportedly planning to file a case against the candidate for the public assault. Meanwhile, election proceedings have continued with heavy police presence to ensure peace and order during the voting process.
Sources By Agencies
