By Arun Pratap Singh
Nainital, 22 Aug: The Nainital police are preparing to invoke the Gangster Act against persons allegedly involved in the purported kidnapping of Zila Panchayat members during the recent election for the post of Zila Panchayat President. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Prahlad Narayan Meena today confirmed to the media that the Gangsters Act would be applied to those found guilty of disrupting public order and obstructing government functioning on polling day.
The SSP stated that the election process in Nainital city was marred by chaos and disorder when certain persons created a disturbance, thereby interfering with official proceedings. Several videos of the incident have since gone viral, capturing scenes of unrest and commotion. The Police teams have begun identifying the persons seen in the footage and are collecting data on their backgrounds and affiliations. He also conceded that criminal records of some persons found to be involved have already been retrieved, and the Gangster Act is being invoked to ensure that such actions are not repeated in future. The police have also asserted their commitment to dealing firmly with anyone attempting to disturb the peace and administrative order in the city. Special teams have been deployed to scan video evidence and trace the accused.
It may be recalled that the elections for the posts of Zila Panchayat President and Vice President were conducted in Nainital on 14 August 2025. However, midway through the polling process, five Zila Panchayat members reportedly went missing near the polling station, rendering them unable to cast their votes. The incident triggered a political storm, with both the Congress and the BJP levelling accusations of kidnapping against each other. Complaints were lodged by both the parties, prompting the police to register multiple cases. The matter also drew the attention of the Uttarakhand High Court, which took cognisance of the unfolding situation and continues to hear the case.
However, very dramatically, a video surfaced and went viral, in which the five missing members were seen categorically denying having been kidnapped. In the video, they stated that they had voluntarily gone with their own associates and were not coerced or abducted by anyone. Later, the election results were declared, and the post of District Panchayat President was won by the BJP candidate while the Congress candidate won the Vice President’s post.
