Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

Police on alert

Staff Reporter

211 booths classified as trouble-prone

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: As many as 211 booths have been classified as trouble-prone in the Rural police district. The booths have been further categorised as "hypersensitive, troublesome and sensitive" for policing purposes.

In the city, 85 polling booths have been classified as trouble-prone. There are 2,618 polling booths in the rural district and 450 booths in the city.

Booths where there have been more than two violent incidents in the past elections have been ranked as "hypersensitive." "Troublesome" polling stations are where there have been at least one instance of election related crime or violence in the past. Several booths have been reckoned as "sensitive" on the basis of intelligence reports that violence or crime could occur when the polling process is on.

Owing to the increase in the number of polling stations, the police are unable to deploy additional officials in the booths. In the rural district, 138 group patrols will cover the polling stations every five or 10 minutes. They will be assisted by mobile "law and order patrols" which will be located at strategic points for quick deployment. The patrols will be equipped with mobile telephones. The rural police have taken 122 new mobile connections for the five-day election period. The rural police area has been divided into 14 election circles and five election sub divisions for law and order purposes, said S. Gopinath, Superintendent of Police.

Nearly 20-men strong "striking forces" will be deployed under five Dy.SPs for rapid response in the event of trouble, he said. As many as 895 ex-servicemen and former police personnel have been recruited as special police officers in the rural district.

He said vehicles entering the district would be checked for arms, explosives and illicit liquor. Anti-social elements and troublemakers will be rounded up. The police have intensified law and order enforcement in view of the elections.

The police do not anticipate any serious violence in the district during polling. Political activists might challenge each other for using vehicles to transport voters to booths. There could also be some accusations of casting bogus votes, another official said.

City Police Commissioner Manoj Abraham said the police constabulary was in full election mode. Patrolling has been intensified. Criminal elements and habitual offenders are being tracked down.

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