Mangaluru: ADGP (Law & Order) Alok Mohan held a press meet to discuss the security arrangements undertaken for the ZP & TP elections in the Western Range at the Police Commissioner’s Office here, on February 17.
Addressing the mediapersons, ADGP Alok said, “Already the first phase of the elections have concluded in Uttar Kannada and the second phase will be held in Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Chikkamagaluru districts that come under the Western Range (WR). There are 2737 polling booths in the WR of which 268 are marked as hyper-sensitive, 732 are sensitive and 1583 are normal. In Mangaluru, 42 booths are marked as hyper-sensitive, 134 sensitive and 186 are normal booths.”
He further said, “There are 164 booths that come under the naxal affected areas of which, 61 are identified in Dakshina Kannada, 64 in Udupi and 39 in Chikkamagaluru. These booths will be guarded by special armed units and Anti Naxal Force (ANF) will conduct routine combing operations in these areas. We have a strong police force with 2500 personnel and additional 3000 police personnel will be stationed with 2000 home guards and special commandos during the election phase.”
“There has been no reported issue pertaining to naxalites in the area from the past year or so; the only problem we have is with the border along Kerala state and we have had co-ordination meetings with the police of Kerala and Goa who have helped us by setting up check posts along the border. Other preventive measures include placing all habitual offenders under preventive custody. In the WR, 16 people are booked under the Goonda Act from last December, of which 3 are from Mangaluru. The number of offenders booked under the Goonda Act all over the state is around 100,” ADGP Alok said.
“Our police force is capable and efficient, we are confident that the elections will run in a peaceful manner as it was during the first phase,” he added.
IGP Amrit Paul, Commissioner of Police Chandra Sekhar, Dakshina Kannada district SP Dr Sharanappa, Udupi district SP Annamalai, Chikkamagaluru district SP K Santhosh Babu and other police officers were also present.