An IPS officer, who was staying in Ariyalur while on poll duty, was relieved on Sunday after it was learnt that he had borrowed the rifle of a Armed Reserve personnel and fired it into the air nine times in the wee hours of the day. Hemant Kalson of Haryana cadre, came out of his suite at the Circuit House around 1 a.m. and fired nine rounds from the gun of Manibalan, an Armed Reserve constable attached to Ariyalur, who was posted for his security. Hemat was said to be in inebriated condition.
He had been relieved from duty with immediate effect based on the recommendation of district collector M Vijayalakshmi, who is the election officer. Chief Electoral Officer Satyabrata Sahoo in Chennai said the officer had been relieved as observer and an FIR has been registered against him. Police are investigating the case.