Andhra Pradesh Police launch state-wide search operations to address poll-related violence

“Police are also zeroing in on caches holding illegal liquor, weapons, explosives, drugs and unaccounted items and vehicles, among others,” DGP Gupta said in a press release.

Between 18 and 20 May, police identified 301 sensitive places across the state, seized 1,104 unaccounted vehicles and around 900 litres of liquor. Police are also taking strangers and suspicious persons into custody for questioning.

Of the cases filed on the eve of the 13 May election, police identified 1,522 persons and arrested some of them while a few more have been served with notices under CrPC Section 41.

Also, police identified 2,790 persons in cases filed on polling day and another 356 subsequently to execute similar formalities.

Further, police opened history-sheets against 85 of the identified persons and also applied Preventive Detention Act against three persons. The DGP also urged people to tip off the police against any nefarious activities by calling the numbers 112 or 100.

Also Read: EC summons Andhra chief secretary, DGP over post-poll violence in state

SIT report on poll violence

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed to probe the poll day and post-poll period violence in the state submitted its report to Gupta on Monday, 20 May.

Earlier, on 16 May, the Election Commission had asked Gupta and Chief Secretary Jawahar Reddy to form the SIT and submit a report on the action taken against the perpetrators.

The 13-member SIT, headed by Inspector General of Police (IGP) Vineet Brij Lal, handed over the “confidential” 150-page report detailing the violence that impacted law and order in the three faction-ridden districts of Andhra Pradesh – Palnadu, Tirupati, and Anantapur.

Even though the report detailed 33 cases in three districts involving a total of 1,370 accused, only 124 were arrested, and 94 were issued notices under Section 41-A of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).

Out of the total cases, the most were from Palnadu (22) with 581 people named accused.

Meanwhile, Anantapur district recorded the highest number of accused, with 728 people named accused in seven cases from a single constituency — Tadipatri. The remaining cases are from Tirupati district, with four cases involving 61 accused.

Also Read: SIT report on AP poll violence reveals faults in investigation

Orders pending arrests, admits lapses in probe

The SIT stated that its sub-teams camped in the concerned districts, reviewed the cases, examined the investigation records, visited the crime scenes, and interacted with the Investigating Officers (IOs).

The team also urged the IOs to ensure the completion of the pending arrests of 1,152 individuals at the earliest.

Many of these offences which occurred in the Assembly constituencies of Narasaraopeta, Macherla, Gurajala, Chandragiri, Tirupati and Tadipatri were extremely serious, it said.

As large groups of “miscreants” brazenly participated in the violence and pelted stones indiscriminately, it could have potentially caused serious injury or even death, the SIT noted.

Noting several lapses in the investigation, the SIT gave strict instructions to the IOs for immediate compliance. It also formed special teams at the district level to identify and apprehend the accused.

During the field visits, the SIT claimed that it received representations from various aggrieved persons and is verifying the facts for further action.

(Edited by Shauqueen Mizaj, with PTI inputs)