Four days after post-election violence rocked the region, normalcy returned to Tadipatri town in Anantapur district on May 17 (Friday).
Close to 100 persons were arrested following the violent incidents, and they included the suspects and followers of Tadipatri MLA Kethireddy Peddareddy and Municipal Chairman J.C. Prabhakar Reddy, rowdy-sheeters and those with a criminal background. They were all shifted to the Kadapa Central Jail.
Hundreds of police personnel were deployed at the arterial junctions of Tadipatri and in the surrounding mandals of Yellanur, Putluru, Peddapappuru, Peddavaduguru, and Yadiki in both Tadipatri and neighboring Singanamala Assembly constituency. Barricades and check- posts were arranged at all the entry points to Tadipatri.
The suspension of Superintendent of Police Amit Bardar, Tadipatri Deputy SP C.M. Gangiah, and Tadipatri Circle-Inspector S. Murali Krishna created a flutter in the police circles, while the newly appointed DIG (Anantapur) V. Shemushi took additional charge as Anantapur SP.
An uneasy atmosphere that had prevailed in Tadipatri town on May 13 (polling day) took a sudden twist in the afternoon, with two groups led by Mr. Prabhakar Reddy and Mr. Peddareddy resorted to showing of strength at a polling station.
Tension escalated into violence, as the two sides had resorted to stone-pelting for a couple of hours, resulting in head injury to inspector Muralikrishna and damage to private and police vehicles.
A senior police officer, on condition of anonymity, said that given the violent flare-up, the police deployment should have been strengthened in Tadipatri, but it did not take place immediately.
After temporarily pacifying the two groups, the police had taken it for granted that normalcy was restored. However, the warring groups created an even worse law and order situation on May 14 and 15, attacking the houses of the rival leaders and partially ransacking the portions, besides unleashing terror in the residential areas, forcing them to stay indoors.
The police had to evict the two leaders and shift them to Hyderabad only after the issue went viral and attracted State-wide attention.
The suspension of three key officials in the district brought complete alertness among the police personnel at the ground level. Apart from the arrest of the “bad elements” and shifting them to the Kadapa prison, the police authorities stepped up surveillance all over Anantapur district, with special focus on Tadipatri and Singanamala constituencies.
All private lodges were thoroughly checked, and the operators warned not to entertain strangers and suspicious elements on their premises. Special parties also conducted searches in the houses of the suspects in Tadipatri violence, expecting confiscation of lethal weapons.
