Police arrest Rajasthan poll candidate; supporters burn 78 vehicles

Jaipur: After a row and accompanied violent incidents during a poll in Rajasthan's Tonk district, triggered by an independent MLA candidate assaulting a sub-divisional magistrate (SDM), the police arrested the person with a strategic operation, PTI reported.

Police troops, including senior officials, were involved in the operation, wearing full riot gear and performing a flag march.

The tension that started Wednesday afternoon outside the polling booth in Samravta village in the Deoli-Uniara assembly constituency, when Congress rebel Naresh Meena contesting as an Independent in the bypolls, caught SDM Malpura Amit Chaudhary by the collar and slapped him in full view of camera crews, continued through the night and well into Thursday.

Protesting the attack on the ADM, Rajasthan Administrative Service officials and allied services held a pen-down strike demanding that Meena be arrested.

Meanwhile, alleged supporters of Meena gathered for a sitting on Dharna, but the police tried to prevent them. This led to the group unleashing violence, torching some 60 two-wheelers and 18 four-wheelers, including two police vehicles. According to PTI, police arrested around 60 people in the early hours of Thursday.

Police fired teargas shells to disperse the agitated mob after Meena's arrest. Some also pelted stones at the police, but no injuries were reported. Alleged supporters of Meena blocked the roads, which were removed.

According to Inspector General of Police (Ajmer) Om Prakash, four cases, including those involving disrupting public work and damaging public property, were registered against Meena.

Before his arrest, Meena blamed Tonk District Collector Saumya Jha and SP Sangwan for what had happened. He alleged that the ADM was working on the directions of the BJP and got 30 people to vote by threatening them to take action against them, PTI reported.