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Haryana assembly elections: Heavy security at polling booths, sensitive spots in Gurugram

Heavy security with over 6,000 personnel is in place at 1,500 polling booths in Gurugram for peaceful assembly elections on Saturday.

Updated on: Oct 5, 2024, 04:50:13 IST
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Heavy security has been deployed at more than 1,500 polling booths in Gurugram with special focus on sensitive locations to ensure peaceful voting for assembly elections on Saturday, the district police said.

Gurugram police commissioner Vikas Arora gives instructions to police officers ahead of Saturday’s polling, in Gurugram on Friday. (Parveen Kumar/HT PHOTO)
Gurugram police commissioner Vikas Arora gives instructions to police officers ahead of Saturday’s polling, in Gurugram on Friday. (Parveen Kumar/HT PHOTO)

More than 6,000 personnel, including paramilitary forces, home guards, and special police officers (SPOs), will be on duty across Gurugram to ensure that the elections are peaceful and impartial. A total of 4,800 police personnel have been deployed at 1,507 polling booths at 626 locations in the district’s urban, semi-urban, and rural areas, while additional forces have been deployed at 252 critical booths across 94 locations.

Police teams have been strategically positioned for booth duty, patrolling, and manning checkpoints.

Elaborating on the measures taken to ensure law and order on voting day, Gurugram police commissioner Vikas Arora said, “Flying squads, sector officers, zonal magistrates, and surveillance teams will also be on duty to manage any security concerns. Senior police officials, including station house officers (SHOs), will oversee operations in their areas, ensuring law and order throughout the day. Measures are in place to prevent disruptions or the need for re-polling at any booth,” said Arora.

Around 1.54 million people in the district are set to vote on Saturday.

The district police have appealed to all residents to vote peacefully, maintain law and order, and report any criminal activities immediately. The police emphasised that public cooperation is essential in ensuring a smooth and secure election process.

Patrolling and crime monitoring

Gurugram’s crime units will be active on polling day, with crime branch officers tasked with patrolling and monitoring any suspicious activity. Immediate action will be taken against individuals attempting to disrupt the election process, officers said.

Additionally, nine interstate and nine interdistrict police checkpoints have been set up to prevent external interference. Patrolling parties with adequate personnel have been assigned to maintain law and order in their respective areas.

To bolster security, 10 companies of paramilitary forces and a police reserve force have been stationed with the police commissioner and deputy commissioners of police (DCPs). These forces will handle any emergency situations that may arise during the election. The police control room has been specially staffed to ensure seamless communication with all police stations and patrolling units, further strengthening coordination efforts.

Sealing borders and increased patrols

Checkpoints have been established along district and state borders to prevent unauthorised activities from affecting the election. Extra patrols, overseen by DCPs, ACPs, and SHOs, will ensure that no criminal activity disrupts the election process.

In the last 24 hours, the Gurugram police have seized ₹57.79 lakh in illegal cash, illicit liquor worth ₹1.18 lakh, and election-related promotional materials worth ₹22,000. Since the Model Code of Conduct was implemented on August 16, illegal assets worth over ₹10.49 crore, including cash, liquor, narcotics, and weapons, have been seized during police checks.

  • Leena Dhankhar
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Leena Dhankhar

    Leena Dhankhar is Senior Editor and Bureau Chief, Gurugram, at Hindustan Times, where she has spent over 17 years chronicling the transformation of one of India's fastest-growing urban regions. From starting her career as a crime reporter to leading the Gurugram bureau, her journalism has been defined by investigative reporting, in-depth storytelling and an unwavering focus on public interest. Over nearly two decades, she has reported extensively across crime, politics, civic governance, elections, real estate, environment, courts, sports, education and entertainment, covering Gurugram, Faridabad, Nuh and Palwal. Her reporting has exposed several major scams and systemic failures, including insurance frauds, waste management irregularities, illegal arms manufacturing units in Nuh, illegal mining in the Aravallis, organised crime networks and governance lapses affecting millions of residents. Known for her investigative work and exclusive stories, Leena has reported on high-impact national issues, including the Nicaragua charter flight carrying Indian migrants that was turned back amid allegations of human trafficking, exposing the growing network of illegal immigration rackets. Her work has also focused on gang wars, prison administration, juvenile crime, women and child protection systems, the functioning of the Juvenile Justice Board and Child Welfare Committee, and environmental challenges such as pollution, waterlogging and deteriorating civic infrastructure. Beyond hard news, Leena has extensively documented Haryana's rich heritage, forests and wildlife, bringing attention to the state's historical landmarks, biodiversity, conservation efforts and ecological challenges through immersive reportage and feature writing. Her journalism has consistently gone beyond breaking news. She has documented Gurugram's rapid urbanisation through long-form narratives and enterprise reporting on issues ranging from pothole-ridden roads, flooding and waste management to the changing social fabric of India's Millennium City. She also writes widely read feature columns, including The Outsider, Changemaker, and Concern for Gurugram, profiling people, places and ideas shaping the city's identity. Leena is the author of Gurugram School Murder, published by Juggernaut Books, a deeply reported account of one of India's most high-profile school murder investigations. She is currently working on her second book, an investigative work exploring some of India's most significant scams and fraud investigations. Beyond print journalism, she has expanded her storytelling through public speaking and digital media. She is a TEDx speaker and has produced podcasts exploring Gurugram's transformation, civic challenges and untold stories. Her work reflects a commitment to narrative journalism that combines rigorous reporting with compelling storytelling. A law graduate with an MBA in Human Resources, Leena brings a multidisciplinary perspective to her reporting, particularly on governance, public policy and legal affairs. She has travelled extensively across India to pursue investigative assignments, often reporting from remote locations and conflict-prone areas in search of stories that matter.Read More