BackWest Bengal polls: Paramilitary forces deployed to ensure violence-free voting
Tamluk, Kanthigathal, Jhargram, Medinipur, Purulia, Bankura and Bishnupur will be going to PollsUnion home ministry stated that the ministry was prepping keeping in mind the sensitivity of Jungle Mahal area
PremiumNEW DELHI : With just three days to go for eight constituencies of West Bengal to go to polls, the Union home ministry is preparing for the polls on a war footing, especially with certain Naxal affected districts also polling that day in the state.
While Tamluk, Kanthigathal, Jhargram, Medinipur, Purulia, Bankura and Bishnupur will be going to Polls, the Union home ministry stated that the ministry was prepping keeping in mind the sensitivity of Jungle Mahal area (LWE affected) as well as episodes of previous Poll violence.
While all central paramilitary forces have been deployed, “To instill confidence among the Voters, various confidence building measures like route marches, long Range Patrols, cordon and search Ops are being undertaken in all the eight constituencies," a senior home ministry official said on condition of anonymity.
To ensure safety and security of Polling parties, Voters, EVMs, candidate, Polling agents and other Poll related officials on the day of Poll, all Adhoc Commandants (108) and Company Commanders of paramilitary forces (547) are being personally briefed by the senior officers of this Sector about the sensitivity of the constituencies, previous Poll related violences such as attacks on Polling parties, attack on candidates, attack on Polling agents, attack on Security Forces and intimidation of Voters.
“In addition to deployment of forces at all Polling station and mandatory Quick Reaction Teams (QRTs), 547 Quick Action Teams (QATs),these QATs are briefed to be on wheels in their designated Area of Responsibility and to ensure immediate action whenever they receive any complaint from the district Polling official, Polling magistrate, Voters, candidates and from the Control Room," the official added.
The ministry has also alerted forces deployed in Jungle Mahal area not to move in vehicles so as to avoid Improvised explosive device (IED) blasts.
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