The Election Commission on Sunday suspended Director Security Vivek Sahay and Purba Medinipur Superintendent of Police Pravin Prakash over the incident in Nandigram in which West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was injured. The commission has also removed District Magistrate Vibhu Goel and transferred him to a non-election post.
The action came hours after the poll panel ruled out a pre-meditated attack on the chief minister, indicating that her injuries were the result of a security lapse.
Banerjee suffered injuries on her left leg and waist on Wednesday evening after she was allegedly pushed by some unidentified persons during an election campaign in Nandigram. The TMC supremo had alleged conspiracy behind the incident and said there was no local police personnel present at the spot.
The commission, after reviewing reports sent by its two special poll observers and the state government, concluded on Sunday that Banerjee sustained the injuries prima facie due to a lapse on the part of her security in-charge.
The PTI quoted sources as saying that Banerjee was not using a bulletproof or an armoured vehicle despite being a star campaigner, and it was a lapse on the part of those responsible for her security.
While she was using an ordinary vehicle, her director of security, Vivek Sahay, was in a bulletproof car when the incident took place, the sources noted, citing the report of special poll observers Ajay Nayak and Vivek Dube.
Also, no approval was taken from the returning officer of the area where the incident took place, the sources said. Due to this, poll officials could not deploy videographers or flying squads.
Banerjee is the TMC candidate in Nandigram where she is taking on her former protege and BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari.
With inputs from PTI