LS polls: 150 CAPF companies already in Bengal, maximum deployed at North 24 Parganas

Kolkata, March 14 (IANS) Although the dates for the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls are yet to be announced, 150 Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) companies have already been deployed in the state, sources in the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), West Bengal said on Thursday.

At 21 companies, the maximum deployment has been at Kolkata-adjacent North 24 Parganas District, with the main concentration being in Sandeshkhali, sources said.

Sandeshkhali had been on the boil for quite some time, as locals had been protesting over the oppression and sexual harassment of women by a section of the local Trinamool Congress workers.

Five CAPF companies have been deployed in areas under the jurisdiction of the Basirhat District Police under which Sandeshkhali comes.

The next highest deployment is in Kolkata, with the number standing at 10.

Nine companies of the CAPF have been deployed each in Howrah, Hooghly and South 24 Parganas Districts.

Veteran bureaucrats say that such a huge deployment of CAPF much before the announcement of polls dates is unprecedented.

Already as notified by the Election Commission of India (ECI) a total of 920 companies of the CAPF will be deployed in West Bengal for the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls, which is the highest among all Indian states.

The Trinamool Congress has already decried the early deployment of the CAPF in the state. According to the ruling party leaders, since the CAPF personnel are occupying educational institutions, the academic work is being hampered.

During the recent visit of the full Bench of the ECI, the Chief Election Commissioner, Rajiv Kumar, gave an extremely strong message to the state administrative machinery to ensure peaceful polls at any cost.

“Voting should be conducted in a festive mood. The higher administrative and police functionaries have been directed to percolate the message to all levels of their subordinates so that all necessary steps are taken to ensure violence-free polls. If the state administration and police fail to do that, we will make them do it,” he had said during an interaction with media persons after meeting senior bureaucrats and police officials of the state.

–IANS

src/rad