Telangana DGP warns action against misbehaviors with employees on poll duty

Hyderabad: Telangana Director General of Police B. Shivdhar Reddy on Friday made it clear that strict action will be taken if anyone commits illegal acts against government employees and police personnel engaged in the election process. The DGP warned that acts like abusing and attacking the staff who are working tirelessly to conduct the elections as per the rules will not be tolerated under any circumstances.

He said in a statement that no one is above the law, be it public representatives, candidates or political party workers, and that the law will take its course if officials are obstructed in the performance of their duties. The DGP issued warnings on this occasion that anyone who acts illegally against government and police employees on election duty, regardless of their political party affiliation or influence, will have to face severe consequences.

“If you want to file any complaint against government and police employees on election duty, you can file a complaint with the State Election Commission or higher authorities, but they will not tolerate taking the law into your own hands,” he said. The DGP said instructions have been given to the district superintendents of police and commissioners of police to promptly complete the investigation of the cases registered for assaults on police and government employees and take further action.

The DGP political leaders and political groups should cooperate with the election staff and act according to the rules during the counting of votes. The police chief’s statement came on the day when counting of votes began in the municipal elections held on Wednesday. Polling was held in 116 municipalities and seven corporations on Wednesday.

On Thursday Sangareddy town police registered an FIR against senior Congress leader T. Jagga Reddy for allegedly abusing Inspector V Shiva Kumar, who was on duty at a polling station in the 34th ward of Sangareddy municipality on Wednesday. The police registered cases under relevant sections of the BNS. The complaint was lodged by K Vinay Kumar, Deputy Tahsildar, who was deputed as a flying surveillance team officer during the municipal elections.

Acting on the directions of the Additional Collector (Local Bodies), Sangareddy, Vinay Kumar filed the complaint after receiving video clips of Jagga Reddy allegedly abusing the police officer and after speaking to the victim at the municipal office.

Jagga Reddy, however, defended his action saying the misconduct of the police had provoked him to be aggressive at a polling booth. He said his response was due to the humiliation of the Congress workers by a police inspector during the municipal polls.