Comprehensive security arrangements with special plan for enhanced vigil till completion of polling

Chandigarh, April 29: The Punjab Police has made comprehensive security arrangements with special emphasis on enhancing vigil during crucial hours before and during the polling on April 30 by chalking out a special security plan to ensure smooth conduct of General Elections to Lok Sabha-2014 in the state.
Disclosing this here today, Suresh Arora, Director General of Police, Punjab said that with mobilization of 59591 police personnel of state along with 16119 personnel (199 companies) of Para Military Forces, the state police is fully geared to provide foolproof security for the free, fair and smooth conduct of Lok Sabha Elections for 13 Parliamentary Constituencies in the state. He said that PMFs along with state police held flag marches on April 28 under the leadership of SSPs to instill sense of security amongst masses. He said that a special security plan was being implemented for enhancing vigil during crucial hours before as well as during the polling. He said that IG/DIG level officers would be in field to ensure that the special security plan, made to cover the entire state during the crucial 48 hours is implemented in letter and spirit. These officers shall remain in field and check the deployment up to wee hours on 30th April, i.e. before the start of the polls. He said that 150 special Nakas have already been set up at all interstate entries on Punjab borders touching Haryana, Himachal Pardesh, Chandigarh, J&K and Rajasthan to effectively block the entry of any unscrupulous element during the polling in state. Besides this, 15286 number of special 48 hours Nakas have been put up throughout the state by utilizing the services of police personnel (13582 parties) accompanying polling parties and 1704 route zone/patrolling parties to check any movement of liquor or money to influence voters. He said that all senior field officers have also been directed to remain in field during these hours to instill the sense of security amongst common masses and fear of law in the minds of anti-social elements. He said that to check the flow or distribution of liquor Excise Officials have been provided with sufficient security.
The DGP informed that the state has 13582 polling stations and 22060 polling booths. He said that 2442 polling stations have been declared hyper sensitive and 4632 were sensitive and these were being covered either by PMFs/patrolling by district police or micro observers or video cameras or web casting.
The DGP informed that the entire state has been divided into 1704 sectors (beats) and each sector has been put under a sector in charge deployed by the District Election Officer and was being assisted by a patrolling party comprising of 1 head constable and 3 constables. He said that a two tier communication plan has been adopted under which besides providing additional wireless sets the mobile numbers of all sector in charges have been taken to pass or receive any message without any delay. A new SMS based information system has been prepared and installed by National Informatics Centre (NIC) through which the State Command Centre and the Districts will get direct messages from these parties.
He said that after the implementation of Model Code of Conduct in the state on March 5, the state police and PMFs have seized Cash (Rs. 27,11,54,996) besides recovering Poppy husk (18577 Kgs), Opium (97.202 Kgs), Heroin (155.756 Kgs), Smack        (2.492 Kgs), Drug Powder          (42.933 Kgs), Lahan (60,156 Kgs), Illicit Liquor (146168.205 Ltrs), Capsules (1,43,917), Tablets (2,15,896), Syrup (3799  Bottles), Country Liquor (2,28,220 Bottles) and Arms (137). Besides this, 608 Proclaimed Offenders have been arrested while 3130 persons have been bound down and 9716 were bound over under preventive laws during this period. The DGP informed that a total 2,74,017 weapons have been deposited throughout the state which are about 92% of the total licensed weapons in the state.