Independent candidate Naresh Meena arrested after clash with election official sparks violent protests in Rajasthan's Tonk district

In a dramatic turn of events, Naresh Meena, an Independent candidate in the ongoing bypolls in Rajasthan's Tonk district, was arrested today after allegedly assaulting an election official. Meena's arrest followed a violent night of protests in Samravata village, where his supporters clashed with police, setting vehicles ablaze and throwing stones in an attempt to prevent his detention.

The confrontation began on Wednesday when Meena reportedly slapped Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Amit Chaudhary outside a polling station. The assault, which was captured on video, led police to initiate his arrest. However, the arrest attempt sparked a large-scale riot, as hundreds of Meena’s supporters gathered to oppose the police. Rioters torched 24 large vehicles and 48 motorcycles, and stones were hurled at officers, prompting police to use tear gas to control the mob.

As police moved to detain Meena early Thursday, his supporters continued their defiance by setting tyres on fire and blocking roads. According to Ajmer Range IG Om Prakash, at least 60 people have been arrested for their involvement in the unrest. Special Task Force (STF) units were deployed to restore calm and conduct search operations to identify further culprits responsible for the destruction.

Tonk Superintendent of Police (SP) Vikas Sangwan recounted the chain of events that led to the chaos. “In Samravata village, some individuals had boycotted the voting process. To address the matter, SDM Amit Chaudhary, along with the Tehsildar and Additional SP, visited the polling site. During this time, Naresh Meena entered the area and assaulted the SDM. Officers restrained him, and voting resumed peacefully afterward,” Sangwan explained.

Naresh Meena, who faces a total of 23 pending criminal cases, defended his actions by accusing SDM Chaudhary of earlier misconduct. He claimed that the SDM had “assaulted local villagers, including a woman and her family, forcing them to vote under threats of job loss.” He also alleged that his supporters have faced ongoing harassment since October, including vandalism of his campaign posters and attempts to disrupt voter turnout for him.

The violence has drawn criticism from the Rajasthan Administrative Service officers' association, which issued a statement condemning the assault on SDM Chaudhary and supporting Meena’s arrest. As tensions persist in the area, heightened security remains in place to prevent further violence, and police investigations are underway to bring all those involved in the unrest to justice.