Today, Yeghegnadzor Police took former Vayots Dzor Regional Administrator Sergey Bagratyan into custody after receiving a report from a witness that he tried to tamper with ballots in the election for mayor of the rural community of Artabouynq.

48 year-old Bagratyan, who now teaches at the State Economics University in Yerevan, is said to have forced his way into the polling station, grabbing a bunch of ballots, and attempting to leave with them.

According to photo-journalist Gagik Shamshyan, Bagratyan, a member of the Prosperous Armenia Party, attempted to intervene after seeing that the party’s nominee was losing the vote.

When a police officer at the polling station tried to stop him. Bagratyan reportedly pushed the officer and gave him a head butt.

Shamshyan also reports that Bagratyan’s 17 year-old son Shant was also present and helped his father abscond with the stolen ballots.

Police have launched an investigation into the matter and are looking for Shant who has gone into hiding.