BHUBANESWAR: In the wake of some candidates coming under attack in the ongoing General Elections, Odisha Police has directed the SPs to provide personal security officers (PSOs) to those contestants facing threat to their lives ahead of the fourth and last phase of elections in the State.
“The SPs have been asked to make an assessment of the security for candidates belonging to three major political parties and provide them PSOs, if required. Contestants of other parties and Independents, who feel there is a threat to their lives, can also approach police and seek security,” said DGP Dr RP Sharma.
The direction comes after bombs were hurled at the vehicles of BJD and BJP MLA candidates from Bhubaneswar Central - Ananta Narayan Jena and Jagannath Pradhan, respectively - here on April 21 night.
Jena, who is also a former Mayor of Bhubaneswar, was attacked in Jharpada. He sustained minor injuries and was admitted to a hospital. While BJP leader’s car was attacked near party office in Unit-VIII area.
During the day, Dr Sharma held a meeting with Twin City Commissioner of Police, IGs, DIGs, Cuttack DCP and SPs of eight districts via video conferencing from Odisha Police headquarters in Cuttack to review the security arrangements for fourth phase elections. The SPs of Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Balasore, Jajpur, Bhadrak, Mayurbhanj and Puri districts attended.
The police officers were directed to make adequate security arrangements for the VVIPs and VIPs coming to the State, to deploy Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) personnel near sensitive booths, conduct blocking near bordering areas of the State, flag marches, among other measures. Like previous three phases, SPs were asked to operate from integrated control rooms in their district headquarters involving officials of CAPF, revenue administration, district police, and others.
In the last phase on April 29, people of six Parliamentary constituencies and 42 Assembly segments will exercise their franchise.