Top cops from six southern States discuss security

Tirupati: In view of forthcoming general elections 2019, top police bosses from six southern States met in Tirupati on Tuesday to discuss the security arrangements for elections.

As part of first coordination meeting, AP Police Department hosted the top cops (DGPs) meeting in the temple city on Tuesday. A four hours long closed door meeting of high level police officials was held at a private hotel.

In the inter-State coordination meeting, issues relating to the Law and Order, security, Left wing extremism, mobilisation of forces, intelligence sharing, Inter-State criminals/offenders, illegal transportation and movement of un-accounted cash were elaborately discussed.

And also top cops shared their views in curbing illicit liquor and weapons as well as strengthening of check-posts etc. After the meeting, Director General of Police R P Thakur addressing the media said that nodal officers were being appointed in all six States to cooperate and coordinate all inter-State issues during general elections 2019.

DIGs and SPs of neighbouring States will also organise such border meetings frequently till the completion of general elections for better coordination and for optimum utilisation of forces on ground, the DGP added.

He stated that the Central paramilitary forces (CPMF) as well as local police will work with coordination at field level for smooth conducting of forthcoming general elections.

RP Thakur also informed that sharing of mobile and static communication equipment among the neighbouring States, sharing of logistics and infrastructure for movement and mobilisation of forces were also discussed.

One more important issue that came for discussion was sharing of intelligence and launching of joint operations in Left wing extremism infested areas among States like Telangana, AP, Odisha and Chhattisgarh, DGP Thakur added.

In the meeting all the top cops unanimously resolved to appoint election nodal officers in every State to coordinate with neighbouring States and also to respond immediately over the specific threats from insurgents, extremists, etc. Similarly, they decided to practice the regular intelligence sharing mechanism and sharing of infrastructure like helicopters, speed boats etc in critical areas.

They took a decision to set up border police check-posts on a large-scale for curbing illegal movement of liquor, freebies, cash, weapons and criminals through State borders.

Karnataka DGP Neelamani Raju and Tamil Nadu DGP T K Rajendran also spoke. Later AP Additional DGP (Operations) Nalin Prabhat explained about on inter-State coordination issues related to Left wing extremism and Maoist challenges to the elections process.

CRPF IGs SK Mohanty, G V H Giri Prasad, Home secretaries from Telangana, AP, Rajiv Trivedi, A R Anuradha, IB Joint Director RA Chandrasekhar, IGs from Tamil Nadu and Karnataka Sheha Sai and R Hitendra were present.