Kolkata: On the eve of elections in New Town and Salt Lake, the main thoroughfares in the twin townships are teeming with central forces keeping a strict vigil on vehicles and pedestrians but a few fissures on the border of the two Parganas may provide a small opening to 'outsiders' to enter the polling zone, a reality check on ground zero by TOI has revealed.
Numerous entry points from Bhangar to New Town - which is also a gateway to around 10 assembly segments that witnessed widespread violence in previous elections - were lying unguarded on Sunday afternoon with less than 24 hours to go for polls.
In the absence of even a single security personnel at several entry points - a sharp contrast to the numerous check-posts put up on EM Bypass, Chingrihata, City Centre and Sector V where central force personnel were checking every vehicle, hailing bikers and even boarding buses to check for 'outsiders' - men in two-wheelers and groups in SUVs were crossing into New Town from neighbouring Bhangar with impunity.
The 'outsiders' are members of syndicates from Bhangar in the neighbouring South 24-Parganas, who cross over to North 24-Parganas to manipulate the polls.
Bhangar will vote on April 30 and residents and opposition fear that syndicates from the area will send reinforcements to assist their counterparts in New Town and Salt Lake on Monday. Trinamool leaders associated with syndicates have confirmed the arrival of external help numbering around 5,000.
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