The Hindu : Special security plan for naxalite belt in U.P.

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Mar 18, 2004

New Delhi

New Delhi

Special security plan for naxalite belt in U.P.

LUCKNOW, MARCH 17. The rising left-wing violence in Nepal and naxalite activities along Uttar Pradesh's international borders with the Himalayan Kingdom have made the State Government work out elaborate security arrangements for the coming Lok Sabha elections.

The State Government officials have decided to provide elaborate security to politicians campaigning in the area and provide them with a list of `dos and don'ts'.

Sources claimed the government was particularly concerned about naxalite activities in Mirzapur, Chandauli and Sonebhadra districts of the State. "The extremists are known to escalate violent activities before elections... this is evident from the past experiences in the neighbouring State of Bihar and Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh," sources added.

The issue had come up for discussion during a recent meeting between State and Central government officials. The U.P. Government had stressed the need for providing 160 companies of paramilitary forces to counter the menace. The Centre has already approved deploying one battalion of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in Mirzapur for the purpose.

Sources claimed that the battalion would camp in the interiors to carry out combing operations. The Centre had already deployed the Special Service Bureau (SSB) along the porous Indo-Nepal border in U.P., Uttaranchal, Bihar and North Bengal. While manning the Indo-Nepal border has become the primary task of the SSB, the Central forces have not been able to fully activate its operations, at least in U.P.

Meanwhile, State chief electoral officer (CEO) Vijay Sharma is expected to visit the Naxalite-affected districts of eastern U.P. after March 20, when the electoral rolls would be published.

Mr. Sharma said today that elaborate security arrangements would be made in the naxalite-prone areas and he would personally visit some of these areas to assess the situation.

``I have asked the district authorities to make fool-proof security arrangements particularly for the polling parties and at the polling booths in the sensitive areas, he stated.

The candidates in these sensitive areas have already been asked to maintain a low profile during the campaign and avoid canvassing after sunset. -- UNI

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