Independent MLA candidate Naresh Meena was arrested on Thursday following high drama and escalating violence in which a mob assaulted a PTI reporter and video cameraperson and burnt their camera.
The attack, a day after the Congress rebel contesting as an Independent in the bypolls slapped SDM Malpura Amit Chaudhary outside a polling booth in front of hundreds of people, came while the PTI crew was covering a protest following the arrest.
PTI reporter Ajeet Shekhawat and cameraperson Dharmendra Kumar were badly injured and rushed to hospital. In a selfie video sent to the PTI head office in Delhi, Shekhawat can be seen bleeding from under his left eye. He said his colleague Dharmendra suffered a gash on the head and his arm may be broken. The two came under attack when they were about to interview Agriculture Minister Kirodi Lal Meena, who had gone to the trouble spot to assess the situation in Tonk district's Samravta village, about 100 km from the state capital Jaipur.
The violence has been going on since Wednesday evening when police tried to stop Naresh Meena's supporters from sitting on dharna. The slap, videos of which were circulated widely on social media platforms, set in motion differing protests from both his supporters and Rajasthan Administrative Service officials.
The tension that started outside the polling booth snowballing into outright violence through the night and into Thursday. Work across government offices in the state was hit in the morning with officials of the RAS Association and allied services going on a pen-down strike demanding that Meena be arrested.
They said they would continue till a meeting with Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma. Ranged against them were Meena's alleged supporters. About 60 two-wheelers and 18 four-wheelers, including police vehicles, were torched in the violence that erupted outside the polling booth in Samravta village in the Deoli-Uniara assembly constituency when police tried to prevent the dharna. About 60 people were arrested in the early hours of Thursday following the violence that also saw crowds pelting stones at police personnel. As the morning progressed, tension spiralled.
"I will not surrender," a defiant Meena told jostling camera crews in Samravta after he was taken into custody. As restless crowds could be seen roaming the village, police mounted vigil to ensure that nothing more goes wrong.
The arrest was planned with care. Police administration, which included senior officers in full riot gear, were deployed in full strength and held a flag march. Tonk Superintendent of Police Vikas Sangwan gave the final direction to the police team to enter the village and take Meena in its custody. 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. "It could be anyone the government is strict with those who commit crime. We are getting the entire incident investigated and asked for a report and soon action will be taken against those who are guilty," said Minister of State for Home Jawahar Singh Bedham. -- PTI