The Election Commission of India (ECI) has taken a serious note of the attack on Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy during an election campaign in Vijayawada on Saturday night and sought a report from the police department.
Since the announcement of the election schedule, the ECI in coordination with the Andhra Pradesh police organized a series of meetings to conduct elections in a peaceful manner, with zero violence.
However, Saturday’s attack on Jagan Mohan Reddy prompted it to review the security arrangements, especially the safety of candidates taking part in the campaign. It expressed outrage over the security failure that allowed such an incident to occur.
Moreover, the incident occurred just days after similar incidents at the Prime Minister’s last month visit to the state, prompting the EC to demand a detailed report on the latest incident. It may be recalled that the ECI was forced to axe as many as six IPS officers, including one DIG and five Superintendent of Police officers, for their failure in law and order.
In response to the EC’s orders, the police in Vijayawada have been mobilised to investigate the attack. CCTV footage from the area is currently being examined, with special teams formed to delve into the case further. Vijayawada’s Commissioner of Police, Kranti Rana, will be submitting a preliminary report on the attack to the EC later today.
The police is relying on footage collected from surveillance cameras installed near a school in Ajith Singh Nagar where the incident occurred. Special police teams, which were formed immediately after the incident, already collected footage from the closed circuit surveillance cameras (CCTVs) to identify the persons behind the incident.
Drone cameras were also used on Sunday to identify whether anyone was hiding inside the school or its adjoining areas. A separate police team collected the details of history-sheeters and those having criminal background in Ajith Singh Nagar and other areas in Vijayawada to question them in connection with the incident. One more team interacted with shopkeepers and residents near the school to recognize the persons involved in Saturday’s attack.
This latest incident has raised concerns about the safety and security of political figures in the region, with authorities pledging to take swift action to ensure the protection of public officials. The EC’s swift response to the attack highlights the importance of maintaining security during a crucial election period.
