A multilayered security blanket was thrown over the tribal-dominated interior areas of Attappady from Monday morning on the polling day in the face of an alleged Maoist threat to derail the democraticprocess.
Apart from personnel of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), 120 commandos of specially trained anti-Maoist squad Thunderbolt were deployed along with bomb and dog squads.
CCTV surveillance
Security arrangements were tightened in the face of the alleged sighting of armed Maoists in interiors of Mananthavady in Wayanad on Sunday. All the tribal colonies had been put under CCTV surveillance and special vehicles were arranged to take voters from remote tribal hamlets to polling booths.
“Apart from keeping vigil on Maoist threats, we assisted local tribes to cast their votes. Police jeeps were used to transport the aged and ailing tribal voters. Emergency health care was ensured,” Agali Deputy Superintendent of Police P. Waheed told The Hindu .
Over 200 personnel of the CRPF conducted flag marches on Sunday at Attappady, which is part of the Mannarkkad Assembly constituency. The CRPF personnel were deployed in tribal settlements such as Swarnagaddha, Pudur, Paloor, and Mulli, which are encircled by dense forests.
The tribal residents of Mulli dropped their plan to boycott the election citing poor condition of roads, following intervention of the police and district officials. The police had also removed posters and banners, purportedly issued by Maoists, urging the tribespeople to boycott election at Agali, Pudur, Anaikatty, Sholayur, and Kottathara.
Barbed fencing
Barbed fencing had been erected around Agali police station. The police had found 12 polling booths in the region as under Maoist threat.
