AP police geared up for smooth conduct of Seemandhra polls

After the by and large peaceful first-phase of Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh Police has now geared up for smooth conduct of second phase of polls in state's Seemandhra region on Wednesday. 

Over 1.22 lakh security forces will be deployed in Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema districts (collectively called as Seemandhra) which will go for second-phase of polls tomorrow for 25 parliamentary and 175 Assembly constituencies, state Director General of Police B Prasada Rao told reporters. 

"The bandobast arrangements are in place. Overall strength of police force deployed is over 1.22 lakh, which includes over 72,000 personnel of civil police and District Armed Reserve, besides 10,500 Home Guards. Also, 284 central para-military companies and 69 AP Special Police companies will be deployed," the DGP said. 

"I am sure with so much of deployment (of forces) we shall be able to ensure peaceful conduct of polls," he said.  

With regard to extremist-affected districts of Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram, Srikakulam and East Godavari, all necessary counter measures have been taken to thwart attempts by Maoists to disrupt the poll process, he said. 

"CPI-Maoists give call for poll boycott and their endeavour is to disrupt the poll process...so we are taking measures to counter any designs of the Maoists," he said. 

The ultras also engage action teams which resort to snatching EVMs at polling stations, cutting across trees and digging up roads to create problems for transport of the EVMs and the police is aware of such acts and has made arrangements to counter the same by inducting personnel of special parties and elite Greyhounds commando force, the AP police chief said. 

Four IAF helicopters--two each in Rajahmundry and Visakhapatnam--have been stationed for contingency, he said. 

Over Rs 131 crore unaccounted cash was seized by police during checking and out of this Rs 48.50 crore was returned to the owners after verification of documents. 

Besides, 90 kg of gold and 825 kg of silver was also seized upto May 5 while as many as 29,675 cases of violation of model code of conduct were registered, Rao added. 

-PTI