Towns under siege, but countryside free

DANAPUR (Patna): In terms of police deployment, including Central paramilitary forces, Patna Urban and Patna Rural falling in Patna Lok Sabha constituency appeared to constitute two different worlds on Tuesday: one under siege, and the other relatively free.
As for the first, it was most apparent in Patna city (its East, Central and West segments of the constituency) as well as in Danapur, where barricading of roads and sealing of entry points of lanes leading to main roads were most visible.
To cap it, patrolling by magistrates “on election duty� was to the extent hitherto not seen, while posses of menacing Commandos kept intercepting those moving on motorcycles, scooters and cars in the very first hour of the polling. Till late Monday night, the roads had presented a nearly normal look, but in the morning sudden appearance of men-in-uniform changed the colour and tone.
Around 7.30 am, near the Bihar State Electricity Board headquarters, a contingent of Commandos looked particularly menacing. They stopped motorcycles and cars even of mediapersons despite their showing authority letters issued by the Election Commission.
When the driver of a car having a Press sticker tried to move ahead with the mediaperson concerned showing his authority letter, a Commando thrust his fist through the window at the jaw of the driver and punched it thrice, which caused a minor slit on his lower lip and left him bleeding. When the mediaperson said they were bound for Naubatpur, the Commando countered: “You should have started early in the morning.� He was left witless. The Commando also added: “These pressmen promote booth looting.�
The atmosphere, however, seemed to have changed suddenly when out of Patna along the Phulwari-Naubatpur road. It looked more rarefied, with people harvesting wheat or winnowing it. Of course, the polling booths had district armed police (DAP) personnel posted there. At intersection points of roads, lathi-wielding homeguards watched the movement of vehicles and suspicious-looking people, but patrolling was not as intense as even in Danapur and Maner areas.
In Naubatpur, its block development officer Ajay Kumar Thakur was on duty as patrolling magistrate with a contingent of DAP. He also inspected booths. “I am on patrolling duty. We have sealed the block,� he said. A barricade at Bihta prevented the entry of vehicles into Naubatpur.
Incidentally, as the sun became more harsh in the sprawling, treeless countryside, there was no movement of people, except for voters going towards the booths or returning home after having cast their votes. The Commandos were not visible anywhere. At Maner, a contingent of Rapid Action Force waited for any eventuality.