A total of 9,700 police, paramilitary and non-police personnel have been deployed for poll security duties in Vellore and Tiruvannamalai districts to ensure a smooth, free and fair conduct of the Assembly elections on Wednesday, according to H.M. Jayaram, Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Vellore Range.
Talking to reporters here on Tuesday, Mr. Jayaram said the total security personnel comprised 5,400 for Vellore district and 4,300 for Tiruvannamalai district. The paramilitary forces include 12 companies of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and other special forces for Vellore district and nine CRPF, CISF and other companies for Tiruvannamalai district.
The non-police security personnel comprise home guards, ex-servicemen, retired policemen, and police recruits. Out of the 1,600 ex-servicemen mobilised in Vellore district, 870 were retained in Vellore district, 430 sent to Chennai city and 100 each sent to Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur and Salem districts. Of the 1,600 ex-servicemen mobilised for Tiruvannamalai district, 900 were retained in Tiruvannamalai district and 700 sent to Chennai suburban district.
There would be 236 mobile parties in Vellore district and 150 in Tiruvannamalai district, each manned by a sub-inspector and four policemen from paramilitary forces. Mr. Jayaram said that one special task force team comprising 10 persons has been posted in the inter-State border in Gudiyatham taluk. Two quick reaction teams (QRTs) have been posted in Vellore district and one QRT in Tiruvannamalai district.
A total of 420 anti-social elements in Vellore district and 686 in Tiruvannamalai district have been taken into preventive custody. One hundred and eighty-six cases of violations of the electoral code of conduct were booked in Vellore district and 278 cases in Tiruvannamalai district.
Cash seized
The DIG said that cash and kind, totally valued at about Rs.3 crore including Rs.87,30,700 in cash were seized during vehicle checks carried out in Vellore district. The entire cash was handed over to the Income Tax Department, which has retained Rs.50 lakh of unaccounted cash and returned the balance to the parties concerned after verification.
In Tiruvannamalai district, the police seized Rs.41.23 lakh in cash during vehicle checks. Thirteen persons were arrested for distribution of cash to voters in the Vellore Taluk, Virinjipuram and Arakkonam police station limits in Vellore district.
