2nd phase of civic polls: Over 1.17L cops & home guards, 111 companies of PAC & CAPF deployed
Over 76 companies of PAC and 35 companies of CPMF have been deployed to counter any trouble or violence and ensure law and order during the polling hours.
LUCKNOW More than 1.17 lakh civil police personnel and home guards, along with 111 companies of provincial armed constabulary (PAC) and central armed police forces (CAPF), will be deployed in the 38 poll-bound districts across Uttar Pradesh to ensure that the second phase of civic elections are held smoothly on May 11 (Thursday).
“Civil police personnel will be deployed to conduct free and fair polling without any interruption while armed police, including the PAC and Central Para Military Force (CPMF), will be majorly deployed at sensitive centres and booths to make sure that the law-and-order situation is maintained during the polling exercise,” said U.P. Police Special Director General (SDG), law and order, Prashant Kumar.
The senior cop said that the first phase of polling will be held for seven municipal corporations, 95 municipal councils, and 268 nagar panchayats of 38 different districts, including three police commissionerates. In all, there are 6,380 polling centres and 19,584 polling booths in the second phase, he added. Notably, municipal corporations are for civic and urban development of big cities while municipal councils are for the civic and urban development in smaller cities. Similarly, nagar panchayats or town council are meant for undertaking development works in rural areas.
The Special DG added that 12,103 police inspectors and sub-inspectors, 7,935 under trainee sub-inspectors, 57,201 head constables and constables, and 40,525 home guards have been deployed to ensure free and fair elections in the second phase of polling. Besides, over 76 companies of PAC and 35 companies of CPMF have been deployed to counter any trouble or violence and ensure law and order during the polling hours.
He further said that at least, 12,154 check posts and barriers have been made at international, inter-state, and inter districts borders to check corrupt practices during the civic bodies’ elections. At least 1,103 people were arrested for being involved in drugs peddling, he added. Narcotics substances worth ₹39.2 crore have been seized from their possession. As many as 11,825 people were arrested after recovery of over 3,44,292 litres of illegal country-made liquor and English liquor from their possession while 819 illegal liquor manufacturing units were unearthed after the arrest of 766 accused in this connection.
Kumar also pointed out that nearly 51 factory-made illicit weapons, 3,338 illegal country-made firearms, 5,147 cartridges as well as 3484.7 kilograms of explosive materials were seized and 104 illegal firearms manufacturing unit was unearthed after the arrest of 187 people in this connection. He added that 16 of the accused were arrested under the National Security Act (NSA) and another 1,128 accused under the Gangsters Act. Meanwhile, 944 others have been booked under the Gangsters Act.
Additionally, 8,122 accused have been booked under the Goonda Act and 2,238 others were asked directed to remain outside the borders of the district concerned to avert any trouble during polling, the official added. As a precautionary measure, 17,649 people against whom non-bailable warrant were issued from courts, 7,225 wanted criminals, and 304 criminals having rewards on their head were arrested across the state in a run-up to the civil polls.
