The AP police department has included strong IPC sections in the cases registered on the vandalism that took place after the polling. Attempt to murder (IPC 307), conspiracy aspect (120B) and Representation of the People Act have also been added against the accused involved in the attacks.
To this extent, the investigating officers filed a memo in the courts of the respective districts on Tuesday. DGP Harish Kumar Gupta revealed that the history sheet has been opened against 85 accused in the riots during the election. PD Act against three people and deportation of two others.
He said that 1,522 people were identified in the cases registered on the day before the election and 2,790 people were identified in the cases registered on the day of the election. The DGP said that 356 people have been identified in the cases registered after the elections.
He said that some have been arrested under 41A CRC and others have been served with notices. 22 cases were reported in Macherla, Narasaraopet, Gurjala of Palnadu district, 4 in Chandragiri and Tirupati of Tirupati district, 7 in Tadipatri of Anantapur district, where local police did not include strong sections in them.
The Special Investigation Team (SIT), which found that the police officers who got the postings on the recommendation of YCP leaders and public representatives, had done this deliberately. After visiting the field and examining the severity of the attacks and the evidence available there, it recommended the registration of attempted murder sections.
The SIT officials have added Section 120B after detecting conspiracy in almost all the incidents of violence reported in these districts and have also added the Representation of the People Act against the destruction of EVMs in Palnadu district.
Two more cases were registered on Tuesday, against those who vandalized EVMs in this district. So far, the number of cases registered in three districts regarding election violence has reached 35. The number of accused rose from 1,370 to 1,435, but the number of arrests did not exceed 300.
Finding that the candidates had made all arrangements for their followers to leave the state immediately after the polling, SIT sent police teams to gather information about their whereabouts. It is reported that more than 30 people who can open history sheets have been detained.
On Tuesday evening, DGP Harish Kumar Gupta held a video conference with SI IG Vineeth Brizilal, Guntur IG SS Tripathi, Anantapur Range DIG Shemushi Bajpai, Palnadu, Anantapur and Tirupati SPs. The DGP ordered the SIT teams to remain there and coordinate with the local police to ensure that no one is left behind and that the culprits are dealt with severely.
