2nd phase: Tight security in five election-bound districts

PATNA: After the peaceful conduct of the first phase of Lok Sabha polls in the four Maoist-hit constituencies, the state machinery is gearing up for the second phase in which five seats – Kishanganj, Purnia, Katihar, Bhagalpur and Banka – will go to the polls on April 18.
While Banka is considered a Maoist-affected constituency, the other four constituencies going to the polls in the second phase are communally sensitive.Several booths in these constituencies were earlier identified as ‘vulnerable’ and ‘critical’. The second phase will see deployment of around 25,000 state police personnel and 124 companies of security forces from outside the state.
Officials are in touch with their counterparts in Nepal, West Bengal and Jharkhand with which these constituencies share their borders. Extra precaution is being taken as some of these constituencies are hardy 20-25km away from Bangladesh border.
Kishanganj shares around 84km of its border with Morang and Jhapa district in Nepal and around 80km with North Dinajpur and Darjeeling in West Bengal.
Kishanganj SP Kumar Ashish said the administration has conducted several rounds of meetings with Nepal and West Bengal officials. “The international border with Nepal will be sealed 48 hours prior to the polling. Since North Dinajpur and Darjeeling will also go to the polls on the same day, there will be tight security in those places too,” the SP said, adding at least 267 booths were identified either as vulnerable or critical in the district.
Ashish said these booths would witness deployment of central forces and micro observers. “Crime Control Act (CCA) has been invoked against 40 people in the district and 48 border sealing points will come to life two days before the polling,” the SP said.
In Purnia, at least 1,200 of 2,057 polling booths have been earmarked as either vulnerable or sensitive. “Standard measures defined by the Election Commission of India (ECI) will be followed in these booths,” Purnia DM Pradeep Kumar Jha said, adding the district also shares border with North Dinajpur. “We have invoked CCA against 102 people,” he added.
Katihar SP Vikash Kumar said since the district was vulnerable to communal clashes, adequate measures were being taken to avoid any untoward incident. “The 70km-long riverine belt of the Ganga, the Kosi and the Mahananda requires close monitoring,” he said.
Kumar said at least 450 booths were identified as either vulnerable or critical in the district. “We share borders with Raiganj and Malda in West Bengal. The West Bengal officials have been requested to cooperate with us,” he said. The SP said of the 108 CCA proposals of the police, 100 were approved.
In Bhagalpur, more than 74 border sealing points will become functional 48 hours prior to polling, said DM Pranav Kumar, adding 1,381 polling stations in the district were identified as either vulnerable or critical.
“The constituency is communally sensitive as it has several pockets dominated by a specific caste. We have invoked CCA against 170 people,” Kumar said. He said the officials of Jharkhand’s Godda and Sahebganj districts, which share border with the constituency, have been urged to help the Bhagalpur administration in conducting the polls peacefully.
Banka SP Swapna G Meshram said multi-layer patrolling by magistrates and police officers would be conducted in view of the Maoist threat in the constituency. “Dumka, Godda and Deoghar in Jharkhand share border with Banka. The security forces have been put on high alert in the border areas of the district,” she added.