The Election Commission today ordered Suspension of a Deputy Superintendent of Police and two Inspectors in this district "for not effectively performing their duties."

Police said the tahsildhar of a EC flying squad and members had gone to AkkaraiPatti near Athur, where DMK minister I Periyaswamy is contesting, to check on reports that the minister's relative was distributing money to voters and had hidden some of it in his house.

They raided the house and seized Rs 1.5 lakh, following which the minister's relative Muralildhar and other DMK workers locked the team inside the house, police said

When DSP of Oddanchattiram, Gunasekharan and an Inspector went there to release them, Muralidhar threatened them and allegedly said he would not release the Tahsildhar and other members unless police gave in writing they had only seized Rs 65,000, the sale proceeds of paddy sold by him.

The DSP and Inspector did so without raising any objection, following which all EC members were released, they said.

In another incident, an Inspector at Palani was suspended by EC for threatening the AIADMK town secretary when he caught two DMK persons distributing money to voters and handed them over to Police.

The AIADMK town secretary informed EC officials of it and provided evidence, following which he was suspended, they said.