AP post-poll violence: Palnadu, Anantapur and Tirupati get 3 new SPs

Amaravati: Three new IPS officers are appointed for Palnadu, Anantapur and Tirupati districts followed by post-poll violence in Andhra Pradesh. Mallika Garg is the new SP for Palnadu, V Harshavardhan Raju is the new Tirupati SP and Gowthami Saali is the new Anantapur SP.

Two days ago, the Election Commission (ECI) suspended Palnadu SP G Bindhu Madhav and Anantapur district SP Amit Bardar, transferred Tirupati SP Krishnakanth, further transferred district collector of Palnadu, Tirupati and Anantapur SPs over alleged failure in handling post-poll violence in Andhra Pradesh. It has also ordered to set up SIT to probe cases and submit an action taken report in two days.

Violence erupted in parts of the state during and after the fourth phase of polling for the 2024 General Elections held on May 13. The state went for simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and the State Assembly on that day. The violence continued to take place even after the polling, forcing police to impose section 144 of the Indian Penal Code in several parts of the districts.

At the time of violence, EVMs were damaged, party cadres were assaulted, property/office of the opposite party was set on fire, people were threatened, campaign vehicles were damaged and stone pelting occurred.

The ECI has directed the Union home ministry to retain 25 companies of central forces in Andhra Pradesh even after the counting of votes on June 4 following post-poll violence in the state as it conveyed its displeasure to the state chief secretary and the police chief over the incidents.