While it was the TDP and the YSRCP cadres and supporters who indulged in large scale violence during and after the recent assembly elections in AP, the EC of India has targeted the police officials, holding them responsible for the law and order failure.
The special investigation team (SIT) constituted by the Election Commission of India is focussing mainly on the failure of the police officials in containing violence, rather than identifying the political leaders and their followers who were involved in the violent incidents.
The 13-member SIT, headed by Inspector General of Police Vineet Brijlal, began its probe on Saturday and targeted the police officials of Palnadu, Anantapur and Tirupati districts.
The team toured parts of Palnadu district and interacted with the various sections of people affected by violence on the day of polling and later.
The SIT members have gone through the call record data of the police officials to find out whether they had colluded with the politicians and failed to take prompt action.
The SIT members interacted with investigating officers in the affected areas of the three districts to gather information on the status of cases that were booked after violence.
The SIT is expected to submit its report to the Election Commission of India (ECI) by Monday.
Meanwhile, following the directions from the EC, the state government appointed new superintendents of police in violence-hit districts of Palnadu, Tirupati and Anantapur.
While Malika Garg was appointed as new SP of Palnadu district, Harshavardhan Raju was appointed as the SP of Tirupati and Gautami Shalini for Anantapur.
On Thursday, the ECI ordered suspension of Palnadu SP Bindu Madhav and Anantapuram SP Amit Bardar, besides transfer of Tirupati SP Krishna Kant Patel and collector Siva Shankar Lotheti.
The commission also ordered initiation of departmental enquiry against them, besides against another 12 subordinate police officials in these three districts.
