The police will arrange ‘five-tier bandobust’ for the ensuing Panchayat elections, said Director General of Police V. Dinesh Reddy.
The State police chief on Tuesday reviewed the security arrangements in coastal districts for Panchayat elections to be held from July 23 to 31. He reviewed the preparedness of the force along with North Coastal Zone IGP Ch. Dwaraka Tirumala Rao, South Coastal Zone IGP P.V. Sunil Kumar and Eluru Range DIG Vikram Singh Mann, City Police Commissioner B. Srinivasulu and Superintendents of Police.
The DGP directed the SPs of East and West Godavari, Krishna, Guntur, Prakasam and Nellore districts to focus on hypersensitive and sensitive villages to prevent any forcible withdrawals and booth capturing.
The SPs explained that history and suspect-sheeters, persons involved in poll-related incidents in the past, were bound over. The DSPs are holding discussions with the village heads and conducting ‘grama sabhas’ seeking cooperation of the locals for smooth conduct of the elections, Mr. Reddy explained at a press conference later.
The DGP said that the police were taking steps to prevent coercion, attack on weaker sections in villages, booth capturing and carnage, and to provide security for women candidates. Vehicle check-up and patrolling had been intensified in view of the elections, he said.
Teams were being formed with Revenue, Police and Excise Department officials to prevent illegal sale of liquor and to remove belt shops.
“There is no Maoist problem in the State, but in Visakhapatnam Rural and Khammam districts, they are carrying out their activities just to show their presence,” said the DGP.
Central forces deployed
The DGP also said that the government has deployed Central para-military forces like CRPF in Coastal Andhra Pradesh for handling law and order situation during polls.
However, he denied that this action was in anticipation of trouble due to likely announcement of Telangana state by the Congress. The forces have been deployed according to the police perception of sensitive/hypersensitive villages/areas in all regions of the State.
The decision on continuation of deployment of the Central security forces beyond the polls would be taken at that time depending on the situation then, the DGP said.
