Slap, stones, and scandal: Tonk by-election turns into chaos as candidate blames officials for poll-day clash
Almost palpable tension was seen in the Tonk district of Rajasthan after a violence-prone clash broke out outside a polling booth on the day of the recent by-election. The fierce clash happened at Samravata village on Wednesday when Independent candidate Naresh Meena allegedly slapped Malpura SDM Amit Chaudhary. It further erupted and turned into a clash between the police and the supporters of Meena, taking a series of arrests and significant turbulence that took place.
Meena's Allegation and Defense
Naresh Meena, an independent candidate from Deoli-Uniara, accused the topmost district officers including District Collector and Superintendent of Police (SP) of instigating the violence. Meena said that he was innocent and alleged that the district authority had incited the violence. He said in a statement, "All 60 who were arrested are innocent. If there is punishment then it should come to me and not to my supporters."
Incidents and Escalations
Reports had it that the commotion began when Naresh Meena confronted SDM Amit Chaudhary at the polling booth. The official was slapped by Meena, sources said. Meena's supporters alleged that the polling authorities did nothing even though they were present in the polling station and hit the roads protesting outside the polling station. The police were called in to disperse them, and things turned hostile when supporters allegedly hurled stones at the police. To control the crowd, the police responded with aerial firing for 100 rounds and tear gas shelling.
Besides stone pelting, the Meena's supporters allegedly torched kerosene oil into the polling booth, fueling the violence. According to reports, the trouble first started when the police tried to clear the protesting and sit-in outside a polling booth by Meena's supporters. The police said protesters hurled stones at them that provokes the further use of tear gas and aerial firing.
Heavy Police Deployment, Arrests
Soon after the incident, a senior police official and large contingent of police were deployed to Samravata village, with a mission to control the situation, arrest Meena, and institute further arrests of individuals who participated in the clash. Several participants in the clash have been arrested as well, and security remains tight there to prevent further unrest.
Political and Public Reactions
The incident has invoked a tide of reactions questioning the conduct of elections and the roles of police in managing political tensions. Various leaders in the locality and the general public are questioning the circumstances surrounding the actions of the authorities as well as those of Naresh Meena while demanding accountability and ensuring transparency in the ways of addressing the violence.
The probe continues by focusing on ascertaining what caused the incident and by sorting out who is accountable. This confrontation in Tonk has further darkened the electoral process, indicated the difficulties involved in maintaining order and fairness during such politically charged events.
