The EC has decided to seal the borders of Punjab close to the polling day and deploy 200 companies of para-military forces in the state.
CHANDIGARH: The Election Commission (EC) has decided to seal the borders of Punjab close to the polling day (February 13) and deploy 200 companies of para-military forces in the state. In addition, about 50,000 strong force of Punjab police would be also deputed for the law and order duties. Chief electoral officer Krishna Sundaram said the deployment of security forces would be intense this time because the contest was expected to be close and subversive elements might become active again.
Recently three militants of the Pakistan-based All-India Sikh Youth Federation were arrested in Jalandhar and 20 kgs of RDX seized from them. In their interrogation they disclosed plans to eliminate moderate Sikh leaders like Parkash Singh Badal. About 3,500 polling booths have been identified as sensitive in the state, of which more than 1000 are earmarked as hyper-sensitive. The EC has also directed chief secretaries of all the neighbouring states, Haryana, Rajasthan, J&K and Himachal Pradesh, to seal the respective areas bordering Punjab to prevent infiltration of disruptive elements. There have been reports that country liquor and poppy husk was being transported to Punjab from Rajasthan by the political leaders for distribution among voters.
Meanwhile, the EC has issued a stern warning to the administrative and police officials to intensify vigil on unscrupulous elements in the run-up to the elections. This is after the death of an Akali Dal worker in a firing incident in the Beas Vidhan Sabha constituency in Amritsar district.
Deputy election commissioner R Bhattacharya flew to Amritsar on Thursday and convened an urgent meeting of DCs and SSPs of the border districts to review the law and order situation.
He also visited the Beas constituency to take stock of the situation which had been tense after the Akali worker died in a clash with rival Congress workers. Sitting Congress MLA RS Dimpa and his brother Rajan Singh are among seven persons named in the FIR registered by the police. The police also seized two AK-47 rifles used in the incident.
Akali Dal general secretary Sukhbir Badal, producing a CD to police officers and media persons, alleged Dimpa’s brother fired at the Akali worker causing his death.
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