Over 1,000 held as part of poll security beef-up

Kolkata: In a major pre-election crackdown to maintain law and order, the state police has arrested 1,543 alleged troublemakers over the past 36 hours. The intensified combing operations and naka checks, carried out from Sunday afternoon till Monday morning, led to the arrest of 1,095 individuals, official sources said.

District-wise data shows that East Burdwan recorded the highest number of arrests, with 479 persons taken into custody. North 24 Parganas followed with 319 arrests, while South 24 Parganas reported 246 arrests.



Among those arrested in East Burdwan is Trinamool Congress councillor Naru Gopal Bhakat.

In other areas, 109 persons were arrested in north Kolkata, 49 in Hooghly, and 32 each in Nadia and Howrah, according to police sources.

Lalbazar has also released a comprehensive security plan for Wednesday. At the centre of the security apparatus will be the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF). As per EC guidelines, half a section — four jawans — will be present in each of the 94 Quick Response Teams that will be roaming Kasba, Port, Behala, Tollygunge and Jadavpur. One local cop will be guiding them.

In each police division, around 42 DCPs under six joint CPs will be on the rounds, each of them managing one to two police stations. Besides senior officers, 123 sector mobile patrol vehicles, 75 patrolling (RT) vans, and 37 HRFS teams will be on the road to prevent any trouble.

"By rough estimates, around 325 vehicles comprising around 2,000 personnel from CAPF and police will be on constant rounds," said an officer. The vicinity of the first 200 metres from the booth will be guarded by CAPF, and the sector mobiles will take over the area just beyond the jurisdiction of CAPF. Three sections of extra CAPF personnel will be kept on standby at each police division.

Meanwhile, Kolkata Police officials said that seizures have continued each day. "On Wednesday afternoon, acting on specific intelligence, a team of STF Kolkata Police detained Shamim Alam (40), in front of 26/1 BT Road under Chitpur police station limits. Alam, a resident of Bakasoti, Ratni, Nawada, Budhwara, Bihar, was allegedly found carrying illegal arms and ammunition," said additional CP Solomon V Nesakumar.

During a search, officers recovered three single-shot firearms, one 7 mm pistol, four empty magazines, 14 rounds of 8 mm cartridges and 100 rounds of 7 mm cartridges.

Among those criminals in Kolkata who are behind bars or are being shadowed by ARS include Nanti in Haridevpur, Munna Pandey, Sona Pappu, Disco and Swapan Bera in the Kasba-Garfa-Picnic Garden areas. Cops said that they are mounting special vigilance on all Kolkata hotels. The slums in Tiljala areas, specific zones in areas like Panchasayar, Purba Jadavpur and Bhangar pockets in Metiabruz will be monitored closely, said sources.
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