A video of an Uttar Pradesh Police officer telling his senior over the phone that he had been slapped by Bharatiya Janata Party workers amid the violence during the elections for block panchayat heads has gone viral.
Polling for the 476 posts of block panchayat chiefs was held in UP on Saturday with scattered incidents of violence reported from 17 districts during the election process.
Several purported videos of clashes between supporters of rival parties, and police and workers of political parties were also posted on social media.
In one such video, which was also shown by news channels, Additional Superintendent of Police (city), Etawah, Prashant Kumar Prasad is heard telling a senior over the phone, "Sir, I have been slapped. BJP workers have also brought bombs."
Etawah Police spokesperson confirmed the incident on Sunday.
The incident took place in Barhpura block of the district. A case has been registered against one identified person and some unidentified people, he said.
Incidents of stone-pelting and police resorting to baton-charge to disperse mobs were reported from different parts of the state during the election process.
Police personnel were injured in some of these incidents. Orders have been issued to respective district heads to take strict action against those responsible for the violence, police said.
The BJP on Saturday claimed victory on 635 of the total 825 seats of block panchayat chiefs in the state.
The panchayat election results are an important morale-booster for the BJP ahead of the assembly polls next year in the politically crucial state as it had drawn a lot of flak over its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In Unnao's Miyaganj supporters of a candidate contesting for the block panchayat chairman's post tried to forcibly shove a voter into a vehicle but was rescued by police, during voting on Saturday.
The scene was captured by journalists in their cameras. It is alleged that chief development officer of Unnao Divyanshu Patel caught hold of a television journalist and beat him up.
After the incident, reporters staged a protest and efforts were made to placate them.
Unnao District Magistrate Ravindra Kumar said the government will be informed about this matter.
"Action will be taken on the basis of the letter submitted by the journalist," he said.
In Pratapgarh, a case was registered against a former SP MLA and others (161 named and 250 unnamed) late on Saturday night for allegedly pelting stones on police, firing shots and damaging property over alleged bogus voting, police said on Sunday.
Circle officer of Patti Dilip Singh former SP MLA Ram Singh Patel and hundreds of his supporters started pelting stones on policemen, fired shots and damaged properties on Sunday night.
The case was registered following a complaint lodged by SHO Narendra Singh, he said.
