A coordinated attempt by police authorities in Rajasthan's Baran district to apprehend Bhagat Singh Sena chief Naresh Meena ended without success on Tuesday morning. A joint contingent drawn from three local police stations conducted an early morning search at his ancestral home in Nayagaon, only to find him absent. Meena was away conducting field campaigns related to local panchayat elections. Following an intense confrontation between the arriving officers and Meena's relatives, the police personnel withdrew without making an arrest. Later, an announcement on Meena's behalf confirmed that he plans to surrender at Nahargarh police station at 5 PM on November 6.
Three Criminal Cases Filed Within Seven Days
Securing the arrest of Naresh Meena, who has been leading demonstrations over multiple farmer grievances, has turned into a major challenge for local law enforcement. Authorities have filed three separate criminal cases against him over the past seven days alone. The allegations include inciting crowds and threatening government officials during a farmer protest regarding fertilizer supplies in Chhabra. In addition, charges were brought against him for leading an unlawful road blockade at the Shivdaspura toll plaza, as well as unlawfully entering a forest department office in Nahargarh following an election rally, where a forest employee was allegedly assaulted and state property was vandalized.
Father Objects to Search Operation Without Warrant
In connection with the alleged assault on the forest worker, Nahargarh police have already detained four suspects, designating Naresh Meena as the primary accused. This prompted the large-scale raid at his village on Tuesday, supervised by Deputy Superintendent of Police Ramanand Yadav, Chhabra Circle Inspector Rajesh Khatana, and Sadar Station House Officer Naval Kishore, accompanied by a sizeable police escort. However, Naresh Meena's father, Kalyan Singh, reacted furiously to the raid, demanding to see a search warrant and sharply rebuking the officers for entering the private residence without proper legal authorization.
Supporters Surround Nahargarh Station Demanding Release
The arrest of the four individuals in the forest department incident triggered substantial anger among Meena's followers. Late on Monday evening, agitated members of the Bhagat Singh Sena marched to Nahargarh police station to voice their objections. The demonstrators demanded the immediate release of the detained individuals and threatened to offer collective arrests if their demands went unheeded.
The protest at the station was spearheaded by Prahlad Khatana and Radheshyam Meena Sheopur. Several prominent local figures joined the gathering, including Nirmal Nagar and Mamta Nagar, the Bahujan Samaj Party candidate running for the Baran pradhan position, alongside dozens of supporters who stayed well into the night. Meena is currently backing several aligned candidates contesting local panchayat elections in Baran on Bahujan Samaj Party tickets.
