Dahod panchayat bypolls: Six arrested, total 40 booked

“We have arrested six accused so far while others are still on the run. We have formed teams to nab them as they have fled the village fearing arrests. But we are trying to trace them and we will soon be able to arrest them,” said Pravin Jundal, police-sub-inspector of Limdi police station.

A head constable and another constable of Limdi police station were injured after supporters of two rival candidates contesting the by-elections clashed with each other at a polling booth in Daantgadh. The injured were identified as head constable Vimlaben and constable Alkeshbhai. According to police, a verbal clash broke out between the supporters of both the candidates at the polling booth which turned violent after a mob armed with bows, arrows, knives and other weapons began pelting each other with stones. The two constables who were on duty at the polling booth in the village were hurt while trying to disperse the mob.

The by-elections were being held for a vacant post from Daantgadh village in Chakliya gram panchayat.

All the accused were booked under IPC section 143 (Punishment – Whoever is a member of an unlawful assembly), 144 (Joining unlawful assembly armed with deadly weapon), 147 (Punishment for rioting), 148 (Rioting, armed with deadly weapon), 149 (Every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object), 186 (Obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), 332 (Voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty) and 337 (Causing hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others).