‘Verbal order’ asks KP officers to stay at police stns till polls

Kolkata: Kolkata Police has verbally advised all officers — from sub-inspectors and above posted at police stations, and preferably assistant sub-inspectors — to remain stationed at their respective police stations, including at night, until the end of the polls so they are readily available on call.Several OCs said the "verbal advisory" reflects mounting operational pressure in the run-up to polling. The instruction is expected to remain in place until voting concludes in the city. Sources said senior officers are often engaged in field visits and inspections that continue till 2.30 am or 3 am, leaving little time to disengage from station duties. "With the workload increasing, most officers are staying back late into the night. There are nightly inspections as well as mandatory preparations for the next day," an officer said.Police sources added that late-night hours are also being used for intensified raids to track down suspects and prevent potential disturbances, further stretching manpower. Around 300 motorcycles — two from each police station — have been requisitioned for patrol and rapid response duties, making it impractical for senior officers to be away from their bases for long.In parallel, Kolkata Police has begun dividing each police station area into four to five sectors ahead of the elections to strengthen ground-level monitoring. Each sector is being handled by a team comprising a police officer, a central forces officer and two civil officers. Sector teams have been tasked with conducting thorough area inspections, identifying sensitive pockets, interacting with residents and gathering inputs on any intimidation or threats related to voting, while maintaining continuous vigil to ensure peaceful polling.
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