13,000 police force to keep vigil

A 13,000 strong-police force will be deployed in Bangalore City to ensure free and fair polls during the first phase of Karnataka assembly polls on Saturday.

A 13,000 strong-police force will be deployed in Bangalore City, the state capital, to ensure free and fair polls during the first phase of Karnataka assembly polls on Saturday.

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A total force of 13,000 police personnel and officers will be deployed in 5685 polling booths in 26 contituencies which go to polls in the city, City Police Commissioner N Achutha Rao said.

Some 2000 polling booths and as many have been classfied hyper-sensitive and sensitive, he said.

Six hundred mobile squads will fan out in all the 26 constituencies and each sector consisting of 35 polling booths will be patrolled by a mobile squad round the clock, Rao said.

In addition to these, police pickets have been provided to maintain law and order, he said.

Since campaigning started, 1000 history-sheeters had been arrested in the city and illegal liquour and goods worth Rs 70 lakh seized from them, Rao said.