WARANGAL: Tension prevailed in Narsampet town here on Thursday as Congress workers staged a protest and brought the traffic to a standstill after the members of the Election Commission’s flying squad broke open the lock of their party office to conduct a search.
Congress workers, who came to know about the incident staged a protest and blocked the Narsampet-Khammam highway for about 40 minutes. The Congress leaders brought the issue to the notice of Warangal Rural Collector and District Election Officer M Haritha, who asked RDO Ravi to probe into the incident and report to her. They also lodged a complaint against the flying squad team in-charge Satish and ASI Yusuf with Narsampet town police.
It all started in the wee hours of Thursday, when EC flying squad official Satish, along with his team and ASI Yusuf rushed to Congress party office after reportedly receiving information that Congress workers were distributing cash and liquor to people at their office. When they reached Congress party office, they two persons reportedly fled from the scene after seeing them. When they searched the premises they found only poll campaign materials like party flags, pamphlets, T-shirts and banners.
Soon, a large number of Congress leaders and workers gathered in front of the office and raised slogans against TRS. They later blocked the highway bringing the vehicular traffic to a standstill. A large contingent of the police team, led by ACP Sunitha Mohan, reached the place and held discussions with former MLA Donthi Madhava Reddy, following which the Congress workers agreed to stop their protest. Later, Madhava Reddy told media persons that the office was searched at the behest of local TRS leaders.
“I have been complaining about TRS leaders and officials colluding and trying to harass me. Now it has become clear. I want the EC to take action against the flying squad officials who without even informing me broke open my office’s lock. If you wanted to search my office you could have told me, I myself would have opened the lock and allowed them to conduct the search,” he said.
The former MLA stated that Narsampet town president had lodged a complaint against the EC flying squad team with local police.
Meanwhile, EC team in-charge Satish told media persons that they had not broken the lock of the party office and that it was already open. “We got information that Congress leaders were distributing cash and liquor to people. Hence, we came to check it. We saw two persons in the office who escaped after seeing us. As we did not find anything suspicious we left the office,” he clarified.