Third phase Panchayat polls: Security beefed up in Narayanpatna

Koraput: With the third phase Panchayat polls scheduled in two Maoist prone blocks in Narayanpatna and Pottangi block in Koraput district tomorrow, senior police officials today took stock of the security arrangements in these two blocks.

To review the ground situation, a three-member team of senior police officials led by South-Western DIG S Saini, Koraput SP Charan Singh Meena and a senior IPS officer arrived in Narayanpatna block in a helicopter this morning. The team later went to the BSF camp and discussed the Maoist situation in the area with senior BSF officials and the local police.

The team later went to Narayanpatna block office and discussed with the BDO Hemant Kumar Adhikari, who has been appointed as the block polling officer.

Briefing media persons later, Saini said arrangements have been made to provide adequate security to polling officials with deployment of additional police force in Narayanpatna.

“We have made elaborate security arrangements to ensure free and fair polls in Narayanpatna block. Out of 115 polling booths, nine have been identified as sensitive and 86 as hypersensitive. To ward off any untoward incident, a quick action team (QAT) would be stationed in the area and if necessary, a helicopter would also be engaged for aerial survey to track the movement of the left wing extremists,” she added.

The DIG further said 30 teams of the BSF have intensified combing operations in Narayanpatna area to foil any subversive activities of the Maoists during the polling.