Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India]: Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday demanded the Election Commission (EC) to suspend the Station House Officer (SHO) of Kakrouli police station, located in Uttar Pradesh’s Meerapur and accused him of threatening voters with force and revolver and stopping them from casting their vote.
“The Election Commission should immediately suspend SHO of Kakrouli police station area of Meerapur because he is stopping voters from casting their votes by threatening them with a revolver,” the SP chief said sharing a video on X.
मीरापुर के ककरौली थाना क्षेत्र के SHO को चुनाव आयोग तुरंत निलंबित किया जाए, क्योंकि वो रिवॉल्वर से धमकाकर वोटर्स को वोट डालने से रोक रहे हैं। @ECISVEEP @SECUttarPradesh@rajivkumarec@spokespersonECI@ceoup#ECI#YouAreTheOne#IVoteForSure#UPPolitics#SamajwadiParty pic.twitter.com/WfiygzqO0t
— Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) November 20, 2024
The District Magistrate Muzaffarnagar in a post on X stated that a clash broke out during the Meerapur Assembly by-election when a mob pelted stones at the police in the Kakarouli area.
“It is to be informed that today on 20.11.2024, during the Meerapur Assembly by-election, information was received that a clash broke out between two parties near village Kakaroli of police station area Kakaroli. On this information, the police force immediately reached the spot and efforts were made to remove them by convincing them, but they pelted stones at the police team. The police removed all the people who were creating a ruckus from there by using subtle force,” District Magistrate Muzaffarnagar posted on X.
The DM stated that legal action would be taken by registering a case under relevant sections in relation to pelting stones at the police team.
“Police station in-charge Kakaroli Shri Rajiv Sharma, who was present on the spot, took action to normalize the law and order situation with anti-riot equipment. No one has been threatened in this action. Legal action will be taken by registering a case under relevant sections in relation to pelting stones at the police team,” it added.
The voting process began at 7 am in the constituencies of Katehari, Karhal, Mirapur, Ghaziabad, Majhawan, Sisamau, Khair, Phulpur, and Kundarki and ended at 5 pm.
As of 5 pm, in Uttar Pradesh by-polls, Meerapur recorded a voter turnout of 57.02 per cent, Majhwan 50.41 per cent, Khair 46.35 per cent, Phulpur 43.43 per cent, Kundarki 57.32 per cent, Karhal 53.92 per cent, Katehari 56.69 per cent, Ghaziabad 33.30 per cent and Sishmau 40.29 per cent.
The by-elections in Uttar Pradesh are significant for the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), which suffered a major setback in the state, winning only 36 out of 80 seats in the last elections.
The results will be announced on November 23.