Agartala, Jan 20: The Election Commission on Friday suspended a Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) and removed two Officers-in-Charge (OC) of two police stations in connection with the attack on a Congress bike rally in West Tripura district’s Majlishpur on Wednesday.

The Commission also appointed three Special Observers and asked them to proceed to Tripura immediately to take stock of the situation, ensure proper deployment of the Central Armed Police Force (CAPF), intensify enforcement measures and report back to the Commission.

The three Special Observers are Yogendra Tripathy, IAS (Karnataka cadre), Vivek Johri, IPS (Madhya Pradesh cadre), having served as Director General of Police (Madhya Pradesh) and B. Murali Kumar, IRS officer, who was Special Observer in Assembly elections in Gujarat (2022) and West Bengal (2021).

The EC in a notification asked the Tripura government to suspend SDPO, Jirania and OCs of Ranir Bazar and Jirania police stations in western Tripura.

The EC also asked the Chief Secretary J K Sinha and Director General of Police Amitabh Ranjan to explain as to why Wednesday’s situation escalated despite a sufficient number of CAPF personnel deployed in the state.

The Commission conveyed its displeasure in no uncertain and strongest terms on the violent incident despite the Commission’s strict directions during visit to the state and thereafter.

The Chief Secretary and DGP were directed to ensure level playing field for all political parties on first-cum-first basis and popularise the SUVIDHA App for disposing off applications of political parties for meetings, rally, road show.

Wednesday’s incident occurred after a Congress bike rally came under attack in West Tripura district’s Majlishpur. Ten Congressmen, including AICC General Secretary Ajay Kumar, suffered injuries in the attack.

Elections to the 60-member Tripura Assembly will be held on February 16, and votes will be counted on March 2.