Flex muscles only in gym: Cops warn musclemen

Musclemen waiting to threaten voters this election season better watch out. They might be caught. Neelam Pandey reports.

Musclemen waiting to threaten voters this election season better watch out. They might be caught.

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In a bid to prevent such people from creating a nuisance, Delhi Police and the State Election Commission have asked the neighbouring states to maintain their attendance record in gymnasiums and akharas.

In a meeting called by the Lt Governor and attended by officials from the State Election Commission, MCD and Delhi Police, the topic of anti-social elements creating a nuisance during campaigning was raised and discussed.

“The matter was raised in the meeting and the Delhi Police have been asked to keep a check on all such people. A report will be sent to us too,” said a senior State Election Commission official.

Delhi Police have already written to neighbouring states, Uttar Pradesh (UP) and Haryana, about the matter.

“We have asked the neighbouring states to maintain an attendance record of all their gymnasium instructors and pehalwans frequenting the akharas. This will help us keep a tab on their movement and know whether they were in the city during the campaigning period or not,” said Dharmendra Kumar, special commissioner of police (law and order).

Police are also keeping a close watch on candidates with criminal backgrounds to identify sensitive and hypersensitive polling booths in the city. Sensitive booths have been identified on various parameters including population of the area and whether there was any violence in the area during the 2007 municipal elections.

Delhi Police have also asked for 4,000 home guards and 5,000 personnel from UP police.

Earlier the Delhi Police had directed its district deputy commissioner of police to detain anti-social elements of the area.