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Post cash and clash, ballot battle in TN today
With election in 38 seats, 1.39 lakh personnel have been posted as part of election duty across the State to ensure free and fair polls
By
migrator
migrator
Chennai
Nearly 1.39 lakh personnel, including half the strength of the State police, are out on the streets across Tamil Nadu for election duty, as part of security measures for the Lok Sabha polls on Thursday.
Ashutosh Shukla, DGP – Elections, has asked people to vote fearlessly and independently. “Please come and vote in large numbers. Vote fearlessly and independently. Enough security is being provided everywhere to provide a conducive atmosphere for free and fair polls,” he told in his message to the people, when DT Next contacted him.
According to senior police officers, 64,000 police personnel from the Tamil Nadu police are enlisted for election related work. Apart from the TN police personnel, 27,000 security personnel from Tamil Nadu Special Police (TNSP), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Special Armed Police (SAP) from Kerala will be giving armed protection to polling stations. Personnel from the Tamil Nadu Commando Force (TNCF) will be also deployed for additional security work.
The police have also roped in the service of 20,000 retired personnel for poll related work in the state. Besides, 14,000 home guard volunteers and another 14,000 NSS members would also be on election security duty on Thursday in Tamil Nadu, an official noted. At least four armed para military personnel will be deployed at sensitive booths to prevent untoward incidents in such polling stations.
Apart from the 1.39 lakh personnel for security work, there will be more than 1,100 patrol vehicles with rapid action force roaming the streets across the state. In Chennai city alone, there will be 450 patrol vehicles deployed, an officer noted.
Police on high alert to prevent Naxal infiltration
Police have tightened vigil on the 240 km border of The Nilgiris to prevent Naxal infiltration on polling day.
The entire stretch, which shares borders with Kerala and Karnataka, has been brought under tight security by the police personnel along with Special Task Force (STF) and anti-Naxal wing staff.
Police have also sensitised villagers to inform them if strangers approach them, asking the people to boycott the election. “More than 1,500 police personnel have been deployed for protection in the 1,610 polling stations in The Nilgiris Lok Sabha Constituency,” said D Shanmuga Priya, Superintendent of Police, Nilgiris District.
In Coimbatore district, more than 5,000 police were deployed to ensure free and fair polls. Of the 3,070 polling booths, 470 have been identified as sensitive ones, where paramilitary forces were involved in additional security cover.
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