State keeps cops on toes to ensure free, fair polls

Hyderabad: Additional Director General of Police, Law and Order, Jitender said that all measures have been taken for the Lok Sabha elections to be conducted in a free and transparent manner.

The elections will be held in all 33 districts of Telangana on April 11. Speaking on election bandobust arrangements here in Hyderabad on Monday, Jitender said training sessions were conducted for all the police personnel at State and district headquarters including Commissionerates on possible Model Code of Conduct (MCC) violations and other guidelines of ECI to be followed.

Co-ordination meetings were held with various State departments, central agencies as well as Border State Police officers to meet manpower requirement and for effective enforcement along bordering districts.

Out of 34,667 polling stations 6,394 were found critical and out of 18,988 polling locations 3,103 were found critical across the State. More than 50,000 police personnel will be deployed for free, fair and peaceful conduct of elections.

As per ECI guidelines, so far 75 companies (coys) of central forces out of the allocated 145 coys to the State were deployed to cover critical polling stations and to build confidence among voters through flag march.

Special security arrangements would be made for VIPs including Prime Minister of India, Chief Ministers of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, SPG protectees, Central forces protectees, NSG protectees for conducting public meetings, road shows and rallies.

Security has also been provided to the contesting candidates belonging to various political parties as per their threat perception. As the representation came from Malkajgiri Congress contesting candidate A Revanth Reddy his security has been enhanced already.

Additional DGP said special security arrangements are being made for Left Wing Extremist areas bordering Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra. Combing operations and area domination exercises are being carried out extensively to prevent untoward incidents in area.

He said poll boycott call by Maoists for last several decades has no support from citizens and this time also same situation will be repeated and people will come in large numbers to exercise their franchise as an adequate environment created in the Maoist affected areas.

A record number of non-bailable warrants were executed this time. About 2,540 NBWs executed from all the districts in addition to the more than 11,000 NBWs in the recent held Assembly elections in the State.

405 flying squads, 395 Static Surveillance Teams, 3,451 mobile parties are under operation. 198 FIRs filed, 18,162 security cases were booked. More than 83,000 persons bound over, and 8,394 licensed weapons were deposited till now and its number would increase to 9,000 in few days. 195 MCC violation cases were booked.

So far, the State police seized Rs 7.22 crore cash including the biggest incidents like Rs 1.49 crore cash seize by FS team of Hyderabad, Rs 90.5 lakh by Hyderabad police, Rs 70 lakh seized by Rachakonda police and Rs 53.50 lakh by the Mahbubnagar police.

Liquor of 14,396 litres worth Rs 46 lakh was seized by the police excluding the liquor seized by the Excise officials. Gold worth Rs 16.29 lakh and ganja worth Rs 25.19 lakh and cocaine, heroin and gutka worth Rs 2.20 crore was seized till now.