4 cops suspended in AP for trying to collect voter list

VIJAYAWADA: Four police personnel were suspended and sent to vacancy reserve (VR) in Bapatla district for allegedly trying to collect the voter list in the district. The cops allegedly attempted to secure Form-7 information from the election officials that were filed in the villages. Form-7 is an application for objecting inclusion of name of a person / seeking deletion of own name in electoral roll due to death/shifting.
Vakul Jindal, superintendent of police, Bapatla, told TOI that on receipt of a complaint from Telugu Desam Party leader and Parchur legislator Yeluri Sambasiva Rao alleging that T Firoz circle inspector of Martur, and sub-inspectors NC Prasad of Parchur, K Kamalakar of Martur and K Anuk, formerly of Yeddanapudi police station and currently attached to district crime records bureau, were involved in collecting the data of Form-7 of the voter list in the district through Mahila police.
"They just asked for the number of Form 7 filed in villages and not the details. Villages where more number of Form 7 are filed have more probability of law and order disturbance", the SP said.
On instructions of Guntur range inspector-general, the SP issued orders on Saturday stating that Firoz, Prasad, Kamalakar, and Anuk were suspended and attached to VR in the district. An inquiry has been initiated, and post the inquiry, if it is proven that the cops collected data, strict action will be taken, the SP said. Earlier in August, the state government placed a senior official under suspension on the charge of failing to take appropriate measures in preparation of clean electoral lists.