In a shocking incident at a Rajasthan polling booth, Naresh Meena, an independent candidate from the Deoli-Uniara constituency, was captured on video slapping a Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM).
The incident took place at Samravata polling station. The video shows Mr Meena walking into the polling booth, slapping SDM Amit Choudhary who was on duty to oversee election protocol – before being restrained by police.
Mr Meena, a former Congress leader, was recently suspended by the party for contesting as an independent after it nominated Kastor Chand Meena over him for the Deoli-Uniara by-election. Backed by the Bharat Adivasi Party, Mr Meena’s decision to run independently stirred concerns over potential vote splits in the bypolls.
The by-election for the Deoli-Uniara seat was necessitated after Congress leader Harish Chandra Meena, who won the seat in 2018 and 2023, vacated it to serve in the Lok Sabha following the general election.