PATNA, Mar 22: Over 48,000 security personnel would adopt ‘shock and awe’ tactics to thwart any disruptive plan by Maoists during polling in six Parliamentary constituencies in Maoist-hit areas of Bihar on April 10.
“The forces comprising 165 companies of central paramilitary forces of 108 combatants each, and over 30,000 policemen will resort to shock and awe tactics to prevent disruption of polls in Sasaram, Karakat, Aurangabad, Gaya, Nawada, Jamui,” Inspector General of police (Operations) Amit Kumar told PTI here.
“We have received 130 companies of CPMF for the elections in addition to 35 at the state’s disposal,” the IG said.
“If needed, we may pull in 6000 to 8000 more policemen to ensure smooth polls during the first phase of elections,” he added.
Kumar said that forces deployed in other districts would be deployed in the six constituencies a week before the poll date.
Army helicopters would scour forest areas, a favourite sanctuary of the outlaws, he said.
Several prominent politicians including Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar (Sasaram, SC), former Delhi police commissioner and Congress leader Nikhil Kumar (Aurangabad), Bihar Speaker Uday Narayan Choudhary and LJP President Ram Vilas Paswan’s actor-turned-politician son Chirag Paswan would be contesting in the six seats.
According to police sources, there was a threat of Maoist ambush during patrol by security forces and on polling parties.
“In this context, Sasaram and Jamui constituencies are the most vulnerable because of non-motorable terrain. There are long stretches where movement is possible only on foot,” the sources said.
The six constituencies were located on the border with Jharkhand where there were attacks on police and CRPF personnel earlier.
The last such incident was an attack on a police camp in Aurangabad district on December 3, 2013 in which 7 policemen were killed and around two-dozen sophisticated firearms looted.
Meanwhile, Additional Chief Electoral Officer R Lakshmanan said, “Polling parties with EVMs for a particular area will reach designated police camps or police stations for them to spend the night before the poll date. They will reach the polling centres in the morning.” (PTI)
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