Rajasthan Bypoll Violence: Independent Candidate Naresh Meena Arrested, 60 Detained

On Thursday, Rajasthan police detained around 60 individuals for rioting following the Deoli-Uniara bypolls, while Independent candidate Naresh Meena, who demanded a judicial inquiry into the violence, was arrested later that afternoon

The violence began when Naresh Meena allegedly slapped the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) during voting at Samravata village.

The confrontation quickly spiraled into a violent clash, with stone pelting erupting between villagers and the police.

The situation worsened throughout the night, with reports of injuries, arson, and widespread unrest.

At least 50 people, including both police officers and villagers, sustained injuries in the clashes.

Police responded with tear gas and arrested 60 individuals linked to the riot.

Angry villagers damaged the car of SP Vikas Sangwan amidst the violence.

The situation took a dramatic turn when police took Naresh Meena into custody around 9 PM on Wednesday.

His supporters, however, grew more agitated upon hearing of his arrest. A large crowd of villagers surrounded the police and successfully freed Meena, whisking him away from custody.

In response, police launched a raid on Samravata and nearby areas throughout the night in search of the missing candidate.

By Thursday morning, more than 100 villagers had fled the area in fear of further police action.

While police claimed to have arrested multiple suspects, many villagers allege that officers set fire to vehicles and detained local youths during the raids.

Naresh Meena, whose whereabouts remained unknown following his rescue, took to X late Wednesday to assure his supporters that he was safe. “I am fine,” he posted.

Meena Calls for Judicial Inquiry; Denies Fleeing Custody

On Thursday, Meena issued a statement to the media, stating, “I have come here to surrender and there should be a judicial enquiry into the whole case, the police behaved brutally so we also retaliated. Had the Collector visited the spot yesterday, nothing would have happened.”

Meena also denied reports that he had fled from police custody, asserting that he was not avoiding arrest but rather advocating for a fair investigation into the events.

Additional SP, Tonk, Brijendra Singh Bhati stated, “We are analysing the loss. We have made a few arrests. We are looking for him (Naresh Meena). We will get into the details later.”

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