Anantaour: Following the orders of the Election Commission, Anantapur additional SP Lakshminarayana Reddy and special branch inspector Jakir Hussain have been attached to the DGP office. The two will be kept away from all election-related duties.
Shifting of the two officers comes after a Special Investigation Team found fault with the duo with regard to the poll day violence in Tadipatri.
Anantapur SP Amit Bardar, Tadipatri DSP Gangaiah and circle inspector Muralikrishna have already been suspended following the violence in Tadipatri town on the polling day and the next day.
It is said the inspector Jakir Hussain misled the new SP Amit Bardar with regard to the situation. Bardar had taken over as SP a few days ahead of the elections. But the lower-level staff did not guide him properly in controlling the situation in Tadipatri town when YSRC candidate K. Pedda Reddy and TD leader J.C. Prabhakar Reddy led their groups in an attack against each other.
Even police officers suffered injuries during stone pelting. The mobs dispersed only after police burst teargas shells.
Present SP Gowthami Sali is dealing with the situation carefully. She is personally verifying every issue, including protection at the counting centres.
In a similar case, Kadapa police have opened rowdy sheets against 40 persons belonging to YSRC and TD parties for their involvement in the poll day violence in Kadapa town.
SP Siddharth Kaushal has already registered cases against Deputy Chief Minister Amzad Basha and TD politburo member Sreenivasulu Reddy and their aides.
“If any person or group tries to disturb law and order during counting, they will be expelled from the district,” the SP warned.
