BHUBANESWAR: As voting for the politically sensitive parliamentary and Assembly constituencies in the state gets underway on Monday, Odisha Police are ready with massive security arrangements to ensure smooth conduct of the process.
Speaking to mediapersons on Sunday, DGP Arun Kumar Sarangi said 33 platoons of police force have been deployed to maintain law and order. Around 102 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) and 66 platoons of Odisha Armed Police have also been mobilised for the purpose.
Meanwhile, police are keeping a close vigil on anti-social elements after pre-poll violence was reported in three to four places including Ganjam’s Khallikote where a BJP worker was killed on Wednesday night. “A Special Investigation Team (SIT) is probing the murder of a person in Khallikote. Two more persons were nabbed on the day in connection with the case. The total number of arrests made so far is 11. The situation is under control now,” said Sarangi.
The DGP has also directed the SPs to take stringent action against anyone found to be involved in poll violence. He has also cautioned the police officers that action will be initiated against them if they do not act tough against the miscreants.
ADG (Headquarters) RK Sharma is camping in Chhatrapur to oversee the law and order situation in Ganjam district. So far, the police have registered about 48 cases for violation of model code of conduct (MCC) and other election-related violence.
Odisha Police have also stepped up their anti-Naxal operations as four districts affected by left-wing extremism (LWE) - Kandhamal, Boudh, Balangir and Bargarh - are going to polls in the second phase. Out of 9,162 polling stations, 556 are affected by LWE. ADG (Operations) Dev Datta Singh is in Boudh district to supervise the anti-Naxal operations.
Around 117 operational parties of CAPF and 38 units of Special Operations Group/District Voluntary Force are carrying out area domination exercises in Kandhamal, Boudh, Balangir and Bargarh districts to ensure the polling passes off smoothly.
Around 47 additional SP rank officers, 88 DSPs, 236 inspectors, 2,000 sub-inspectors/assistant sub-inspectors, 11,800 havildars and constables, 5,800 home guards and gram rakhis, 655 mobile parties, 257 flying squads and 251 static surveillance teams have been deployed to maintain law and order situation during the second phase polls.
For Peaceful Polling
102 companies of CAPF and 66 platoons of Odisha Armed Police mobilised
ADG (Headquarters) RK Sharma camping in Chhatrapur to oversee law and order in Ganjam
Anti-Naxal operations beefed up in LWE-affected districts
117 operational parties of CAPF, 38 units of SOG undertaking area domination exercise
EVM strong rooms being guarded 24/7 by CAPF and SAP