The Tamil Nadu police have brought hundreds of check-posts under CCTV surveillance in the run up to the April 19 general elections. The State police will be assisted by 200 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) personnel in the security arrangements in all the 39 Lok Sabha constituencies.
Director-General of Police & Head of Police Force Shankar Jiwal said that an elaborate security scheme was drawn up as per the directions of the Election Commission of India. Besides Quick Reaction Teams and Striking Force Vehicles, armed police personnel would be part of the Static Surveillance Teams (SST) and Flying Squad Teams (FST).
“We are fully geared to ensure the conduct of the Lok Sabha elections in a free and fair manner. A total of 1.7 lakh police personnel, including CAPF companies, are being drafted for election bandobust across the State. Deployment of manpower will be done in consultation with the Chief Electoral Officer. CCTV cameras have been installed in check posts, including 90 check posts located along the State’s borders with Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Puducherry,” Mr. Jiwal told The Hindu on Monday.
Licensed weapons deposited
The DGP said more than 13,000 licensed weapons were deposited by the owners in the respective police stations. The process of allowing those exempted in the exercise, like private agencies engaged in bank security, currency chests etc, was being examined. About 10,000 persons who came to adverse notice in the recent past were bound over under various proceedings.
Commissioners/Superintendents of Police were instructed to conduct surprise checks on buildings located in remote areas and intensify vehicle checks along roads leading to sensitive installations, other districts/States etc. Checks were also being conducted in trains in coordination with the Government Railway Police and Railway Protection Force to check movement of cash or contraband substances.
Vulnerability mapping
Mr. Jiwal said vulnerability mapping of polling stations where violent incidents were reported in the past was done three months ago. The list of such critical polling stations was being re-assessed before deployment of additional armed security personnel there. “In Tamil Nadu we do not have issues of muscle power being used to prevent voters from exercising their franchise. The State police force has started implementing the security scheme, which includes a Standard Operating Procedure as regards VVIP security.”
Asked about the steps taken to prevent smuggling of liquor, ganja and other narcotic substances from across inter-State borders, Additional Director-General of Police, Enforcement Bureau, Mahesh Kumar Aggarwal said that meetings were held with law enforcing agencies of the neighbouring States as regards intensifying vigil at border check posts and keeping tabs on habitual drug offenders. Mr Aggarwal, who is also the State Police Nodal Officer of Tamil Nadu, said that in preparation of election preventive measures like execution of Non-Bailable Warrants (NBWs), initiation of security proceedings against anti-social elements and intensive prohibition raids were carried out in the past few months.
In Chennai city, Commissioner of Police Sandeep Rai Rathore said about 15,000 police personnel, including 1,400 drawn from the CAPF, would be engaged in election security arrangements. Based on elected-related cases registered in 2019 and 2021, 40 places were identified as sensitive places and field officers directed to take appropriate preventive security measures.
“While drawing the bandobust plan, this factor (places with history of election related violence) was taken into account to prevent recurrence of such issues. Apart from checks by the SSTs and FSTs, senior police officers were working with intelligence agencies to curb movement of illicit liquor, drugs and money,” Mr. Rathore said.
