It is normal practice to form a Special Investigation Team (SIT) in the case of serious crimes like dacoits, riots and murders. But probably for the first time in Andhra Pradesh, a SIT has been formed unexpectedly by the state police department to investigate the failure of their own officers on election duties.
A team of 13 police officers has prepared for the investigation as per the recommendation of the Central Election Commission. Intelligence IG Vineet Brijlal will head the team. Brijlal’s team will focus on the failure of police officials to curb the violence during polling and post-poll period in Palnadu, Tadipatri and Tirupati.
It is known that the CEC has already booked Palnadu, Tirupati, Anantapur SPs, some other police officers and Palnadu Collector in this matter. Some of them were sent on transfer, while others were suspended altogether. Some police officers are deploring that such a situation arises due to behaviour of some officers, who followed `YCP Manual’, ignoring `IPC norms’.
ECI made it clear that officers who are negligent in polling duties and duty should be punished. It ordered for a report on the incidents of violence within two days and to control peace and security in the respective areas with the Central Armed Forces.
State police partisan and politically motivated acts were exposed two years ago during local bodies polls. It seems that the ECI has closely observed that some of the policemen who are implementing the `YCP manual’ by completely ignoring the IPC Act have not changed much, besides stern warnings.
From the very beginning ECI closely observed developments in AP after receiving large scale complaints from opposition parties and also civil society groups. At the beginning only, it acted against SPs of Chittoor, Anantapur, Nellore, Prakasam and Palnadu districts, Guntur Range IG, Vijayawada Police Commissioner, Anantapur DIG, Intelligence Chief and State DGP Rajendranath Reddy.
However, serious incidents of violence took place in Palnadu, Tadipatri and Tirupati. Moreover, though local YCP MLAs’ direct involvement was exposed, the ruling party started blaming the ECI for transferring key officials during the polling period.