NOIDA: Ahead of the upcoming panchayat polls, the Gautam Budh Nagar police have started identifying the sensitive villages in the district where anti-social elements can rig the elections, senior officials said on Saturday.
Besides, to check the activities of bootleggers, the police, along with the district administration, have issued a WhatsApp number where any information can be shared.
The GB Nagar commissioner of police, Alok Singh, said that special monitoring by senior officials is being arranged in the sensitive villages. “On the basis of their reports, booths will be classified as sensitive and supersensitive. Adequate police forces and provincial armed constabulary (PAC) jawans will be deployed for the security measures in these villages,” he said.
Singh further said that the police have already started taking tight security measures in the villages believed to be the stronghold of gangsters and notorious criminals. “We’ve already started keeping surveillance on physical movement of such elements and locations of their mobile phones,” he said.
Police are also checking the criminal past of expected candidates and the process of cancelling their arms’ licences has already been initiated. “We will take stern action against criminals, land mafias and liquor smugglers as they may influence and pressurise the mandate during the election. All the police stations have been asked to prepare the criminal dossiers of poll aspirants, and that of land and liquor mafias in their respective areas. All the weapons of those involved in any illegal or violent activities will be seized,” Singh said.
{{/usCountry}}Police are also checking the criminal past of expected candidates and the process of cancelling their arms’ licences has already been initiated. “We will take stern action against criminals, land mafias and liquor smugglers as they may influence and pressurise the mandate during the election. All the police stations have been asked to prepare the criminal dossiers of poll aspirants, and that of land and liquor mafias in their respective areas. All the weapons of those involved in any illegal or violent activities will be seized,” Singh said.
{{/usCountry}}The district police chief said that police will also keep a strict vigil on illegal transportation and distribution of liquor and cash, which the poll aspirants generally use to woo the gullible voters in rural areas. “All the station house officers have been asked to ensure timely closure of liquor shops in their areas concerned and take tough action against the bootleggers,” he said.
Elamaran G, additional DCP of Noida Central (crime), said that at times candidates distribute liquor to woo voters during local elections. “Locals know that use of liquor during elections is illegal, but they do not know whom to complain. At times, they do not inform the local police because they don’t trust them. We have issued helpline number 8851065641 to tackle illegal distribution, sale and purchase of liquor during the elections. The informers’ details will be kept a secret, and they will also be rewarded for helping the police,” he said.
Elamaran G said he himself will receive the calls, and talk to DCPs of areas concerned in the same. “We will send a special team to conduct a search operation. The local police will not be engaged in this exercise,” he added.
Police will also check vehicles at the borders, to stop liquor smuggling. The date for the Panchayat elections has not been declared yet.
With HTC Inputs
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