Special Director General of Police (Law and Order) Vijaykumar on Wednesday instructed police personnel of Central Zone and Tiruchi City to identify places that were trouble-prone and form adequate number of quick reaction teams to ensure smooth conduct of poll process and maintenance of public order and tranquility.
The Special DGP also instructed Superintendents of Police of Central Zone to have separate communication plan for the coming general elections and bypolls to the assembly and ensure adequate resources for it.
The instructions came at a meeting with police officers here to review poll preparedness in Central Zone and Tiruchi City.
The meeting, held at District Police Office, was attended by Inspector General of Police, Central Zone, V. Varadaraju, Commissioner of Police, Tiruchi, A. Amalraj, Deputy Inspector Generals of Tiruchi and Thanjavur ranges, Superintendents of Police of Tiruchi Rural, Pudukottai, Ariyalur, Perambalur, Karur, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur and Nagapattinam districts, besides Deputy Commissioners of Police, Tiruchi City.
During the course of the meeting, which lasted over five hours, the Special DGP reviewed the preparedness of polling process, maintenance of law and order during pre-poll, poll and post-poll periods, other supplementary activities related to maintenance of law and order and enforcement of model code of conduct.
The Central Zone and Tiruchi City accounted for 11,314 polling stations located in 5,781 locations. Of this, 795 were identified as vulnerable/critical based on certain parameters and past incidents. A total number of 995 zonal mobile parties had been constituted to cover booth locations.
Mr. Vijaykumar asked the police officers to visit areas that were vulnerable to instill confidence among public. While reviewing the enforcement of model code of conduct, he reiterated that the SPs had been entrusted with the responsibility to ensure effective functioning of teams formed for the purpose.
A total number of 126 flying squads and equal number of static surveillance teams had been formed in the zone and Tiruchi City to monitor enforcement of model code of conduct. Since the election notification, 148 cases had been booked for various poll code violations.
The execution of non-bailable warrants pending against anti-social elements was also taken up during the meeting. As many as 1,100 non-bailable were executed since poll notification was issued. Special teams had been formed district-wise to track down 605 absconding anti-social elements against whom non-bailable warrants were pending, a police press release issued here said.
The execution of non-bailable warrants were being monitored on a day-to-day basis and instructions given to identify trouble mongers and initiate appropriate action action so as to keep their activities under control. As many as 1,742 persons had been identified in the central zone and action taken under security proceedings against them ahead of the forthcoming elections.
Fifty persons were detained under Goondas Act and 3,041 licenced weapons deposited in police station for safe custody in view of the elections. Instructions were also given to police officers to optimally utilise manpower resources: both serving police personnel and non-police personnel for election duty.
The Special DGP emphasised the importance of uninterrupted communication for effective functioning of law and order machinery during election, the release added.
