May 12th 2024.
The Director General of Police, Arun Sarangi, announced Sunday that special security measures have been put in place for the upcoming elections in the nine districts of Odisha, which are affected by left-wing extremism. The first phase of voting on May 13 will cover four Lok Sabha and 28 MLA segments, with six districts - Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, Nabarangpur, Nuapada, and Kalahandi - being the most affected by Maoist activities.
Sarangi assured that out of the 7,298 polling stations, 537 are situated in the left-wing extremist areas and have been given special attention to ensure fair and unbiased elections. He also shared that since the beginning of this year, 539 operations have been carried out in these districts, leading to the neutralization of one Maoist leader in Nabarangpur. In addition, 138 parties of the Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) and 37 units of the Special Operations Group (SOG) and District Voluntary Force (DVF) are currently active in these areas.
To maintain a strong presence in the Maoist-affected regions, security forces are conducting operations and dominating exercises. Sarangi also expressed concern over the possibility of Maoists infiltrating into Odisha from neighboring Chhattisgarh, which has already completed its elections. As a result, Chhattisgarh has launched operations in five locations, while Andhra Pradesh is conducting nine operations in the bordering areas.
To oversee the anti-Maoist efforts, Additional Director General of Police S Deva Datta Singh is stationed in the Kalahandi district, which is one of the most affected areas. The police have also deployed two helicopters in Jeypore, Odisha and Jagdalpur, Chhattisgarh, to be used in case of emergencies such as evacuation of security personnel or transportation of injured individuals.
For the first phase of the election, a total of 17,000 personnel, 104 companies of CAPF, and 66 platoons of the State Armed Police Force have been deployed. Sarangi also shared that 600 mobile units are actively monitoring the law and order situation and election activities in 10 to 12 booths each. In addition, 51 inter-state border check-posts with CCTV have been set up, along with 50 intra-state border check-posts.
To further ensure fair and inducement-free polls, 210 flying squad teams and 195 static surveillance teams have been assigned to election duty. EVM strong rooms have been established at 15 locations, which are under constant protection by the CAPF and SAP in a two-tiered security system.
Sarangi also mentioned that the Odisha Police is fully prepared for the smooth and impartial conduct of the election in the entire state. The election will take place in four phases, covering a total of 37,898 polling stations at 30,023 locations.
In addition to the security measures, the police have also intensified their enforcement activities to prevent any illegal activities during the election period. Since January 1, they have executed 33,000 warrants, booked seven individuals under the National Security Act (NSA), and seized 233 illegal arms. Other seized items include 4.50 lakh liters of illegal liquor, leading to 22,000 cases and 3,428 arrests. The police have also confiscated 725 quintals of ganja, 4.5 kg of brown sugar, and Rs 4.1 crore in cash.
With the rise of social media, the police have also been actively monitoring and addressing any related complaints. So far, they have received 111 complaints, leading to the removal of 350 contents, five cases being registered, and one arrest. The Odisha Police is determined to ensure fair, unbiased, and peaceful elections in the state, and will continue to take necessary actions to achieve this goal.
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