Female Election Official Attacked During Duty in Aligarh
A female booth-level officer was brutally assaulted and her official documents were torn while she was performing election-related duties in Aligarh's Gabhana area on Friday. The shocking incident occurred following a dispute over the submission of completed SIR forms, highlighting the challenges faced by election officials on the ground.
Violent Confrontation at Village Residence
According to the complaint filed at Gabhana police station, BLO Neetu Sharma - a Shiksha Mitra posted at the primary school in Madhaula - was currently assigned SIR duties at Daurau turn. She was collecting forms with assistant teacher Shalini Sharma when the confrontation turned violent.
The incident took place at the residence of villager Dineshpal Singh, where his daughters Nishu and Ruby, both in their early 20s, along with another woman, refused to hand over the completed SIR form. What began as a routine collection visit quickly escalated into a heated argument that turned physical.
Assault with Slippers and Document Destruction
In her written complaint, Sharma stated that the three women allegedly abused her physically and verbally. The accused took off their slippers and started beating me, she reported in her official statement. The assault didn't stop there - the women also threatened to kill her and tore important government papers, effectively stalling her official work.
During the scuffle, the BLO lost one earring and a nose ring, indicating the intensity of the physical confrontation. The destruction of official documents posed a significant setback to the election preparation work in the area.
Police Action and Community Outrage
Gabhana SHO Jitendra Singh confirmed that a case has been filed under multiple sections of the BNS, including 115-2 (voluntarily causing hurt) and 132 (assault on a public servant). Police have arrested one of the accused, Nishu, while investigations continue to identify and apprehend the other individuals involved.
The incident sparked immediate anger among the BLO community, with members of the Teachers' Union gathering at the police station to demand strict action against the perpetrators. The protest underscores the growing concerns about the safety of election officials performing their duties in the field.
This assault on a public servant during election preparation work raises serious questions about the security measures in place for government officials conducting field operations. The incident occurred at Booth No. 31 in the Gabhana area, where Sharma was performing her legitimate SIR duties when the attack unfolded.
