Security forces are bracing for a major challenge to ensure violence-free polling on Wednesday in the sensitive Baramulla Parliamentary constituency of north Kashmir.
A CRPF spokesperson said that 250 companies of central armed police forces – CRPF, BSF and SSB — have been deployed across north Kashmir. These include the companies deployed for polling booth security, area domination and law and order, said CRPF spokesman Kishore Prasad. More than 30,000 additional security forces have been deployed in the Baramulla constituency. Ladakh Parliamentary constituency in Jammu and Kashmir too will vote today.
The Baramulla Parliamentary constituency has among the highest presence of armed forces in the Kashmir valley, given that the Line of Control (LoC) stretches from Tangdhar to Gurez to Uri sector here. It is dubbed the 'Gateway of militancy' as ome areas along the LoC have served as traditional infiltration routes and have been exploited by Pakistani army and jihadi forces to push militants into Indian territory.
The Parliamentary constituency comprises 15 assembly segments, is spread over three border districts, Baramulla, Kupwara and Bandipora, and is home to 11.89 lakh voters. The Indian army recovered seven Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) in Tangdhar earlier this week. Security personnel had also recovered eight pistols, eight magazines and 32 rounds of ammunition in a joint search operation in Bandipora earlier.
Security forces are therefore not leaving anything to chance given the lurking terror threat in different parts of the constituency.
"We are fully prepared for any kind of contingency. All measures have been taken to thwart militant attacks and stone pelting incidents. All booths have been taken over by CRPF. Other forces too are doing their job," said Prasad.
Fifteen candidates are in the fray to represent Baramulla in the Lok Sabha. However, the contest is mainly between National Conference, Peoples Democratic Party and People's Conference and Sheikh Abdul Rasheed or 'Engineer' Rasheed, the architect of the Save Afzal Guru campaign. One independent candidate, Abdulah Hamid Malik, withdrew at the last moment on Tuesday in favour of PDP candidate Muzaffar Hussian Baig. "It was need of the hour to work under the leadership of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed to create a conducive atmosphere on the ground," said Malik.
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