Lok Sabha elections 2024: Constable on election duty dies of cardiac arrest in Mumbai

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Amid ongoing Lok Sabha elections 2024, a 38-year-old police constable died of a cardiac arrest on Wednesday while he was on election duty at Dadar in central Mumbai, an official said, reported news agency PTI.

The incident occurred at 7.40 am and the victim was identified as Vilas Yadav, a resident of Dombivli in neighbouring Thane district, he said, reported PTI.

Yadav, who was attached to the Shivaji Park police station in central Mumbai, was posted on duty at a strong room (where electronic voting machines or EVMs are stored) for the last couple of days, reported PTI.

"This morning, he went for duty at the D'Silva High School strong room, where he was part of a flying squad. But after reaching the spot, he started feeling uneasy, following which he was rushed to a private hospital," he said, reported PTI.

He was declared dead on arrival at the medical facility, the official said.

A case of accidental death was registered at the Shivaji Park police station, he said, adding that the exact cause of the death will be known once the post-mortem report is made available.

Meanwhile, police have arrested an Army jawan in Maharashtra's Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar city after he allegedly demanded Rs 2.5 crore from Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Ambadas Danve for manipulating the EVMs, an official said, reported PTI.

Danve, the leader of opposition in the state legislative council, filed a written complaint with police after the accused, Maruti Dhakne (42), allegedly demanded the money from him to manipulate the electronic voting machines through a chip, claiming it helped a particular candidate to get more votes in the Lok Sabha elections 2024, the official said on Tuesday.

The accused made the claim in a bid to clear his debt. He knows nothing about the EVMs, the police said.

At around 4 pm on Tuesday, the accused met the Sena (UBT) leader's younger brother Rajendra Danve in a hotel near the central bus stand, reported PTI.

After talks, the deal was finalised at Rs 1.5 crore, the official said.

A police team in civil dress was already sent to the location based on information provided by Ambadas Danve, reported PTI.

The police caught the accused red-handed while he took Rs 1 lakh as a token amount from Rajendra Danve, the official said, reported PTI.

"The accused is facing a huge debt. He did this trick to get out his debt. He knows nothing about the machine (EVM). We have arrested him and a case has been registered at the Kranti Chowk police station here," Police Commissioner Manoj Lohiya told reporters, reported PTI.

The case has been registered against the accused under Indian Penal Code sections 420 (cheating) and 511 (attempt to commit offence), another official said.

The accused is a resident of Pathardi in Maharashtra's Ahmednagar district and posted at Udhampur in Jammu and Kashmir, according to the police.

(With inputs from PTI)