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Polls: police seek chopper services

Staff Reporter

394 villages identified as sensitive and 246 hyper sensitive
District administration asks for 55 companies of forces for polls

ADILABAD: Adilabad district police is all set to seek the services of a helicopter for use in emergency situations in the elections.

Superintendent of Police Anil Kumar will formally make such a request on Friday at Hyderabad during Chief Election Commissioner N. Gopalaswami’s meeting with Collectors and SPs in the State.

Disclosing some details of the plan to newsmen here on Thursday, Mr. Anil Kumar said the helicopter could used by the police forces of Adilabad and Karimnagar districts.

In Adilabad, the helicopter could be of immense use in areas falling under the Asifabad and Sirpur Assembly constituencies, he said.

‘No Maoist activity’

Regarding the threat of extremists during the elections, the SP said though Adilabad was free of Maoists activities, the large number of underground cadres in neighbouring Gadchiroli could bring trouble. However, any possible threat will be taken care of, he assured. “We have asked for 55 companies of forces for the elections,” he added. Talking about the polling stations that needed extra attention, Mr. Anil Kumar said of the 2,076 polling stations in 1,617 locations the exercise was done village wise.

He said 394 villages were identified as sensitive and 246 hyper sensitive besides 10 as inaccessible. 53 villages of Mudhole constituency were categorised sensitive and hyper sensitive based on the record during the communal disturbances of October 2008, he added.

Almost all the licensed weapons were deposited with respective police stations, the SP said.

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