AP police gear up for smooth conduct of gram panchayat polls

VIJAYAWADA: AP police have taken all necessary measures to ensure smooth conduct of ensuing gram panchayat elections in the state, announced director general of police Gautam Sawang on Saturday.

Addressing a press conference here, he said the police department has identified 6,254 hyper sensitive, 8,555 sensitive and 983 problematic locations in 13 districts of AP. Measures have accordingly been taken to protect law and order in these areas. Check posts have been established at various points to curb illegal transportation of money and liquor.

Responding to a question on State Election Commissioner Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar order that panchayatraj minister Peddireddi Ramachandra Reddy be put under house arrest, the DGP said that he is yet to receive instructions in this regard. Action will be taken after studying the order, he stated.

The DGP said police have formulated a special strategy for ensuring polling in extremist-affected and faction-ridden areas. Drones and body-worn cameras will be deployed and an eye will be kept on and social media in case people try to disturb peace. He pointed out that there are 9,942 different types of licensed arms in AP of which 9,199 have been deposited, 30 impounded, 677 are related to public sector and 36 arms are yet to be deposited.

Sawang said as many as 1,47,391 persons have been bounded over in the entire state, 1,13,157 of them under 107 Cr. P. C., 33,873 under 110 Cr. P. C. and 361 under other rules in agency areas. Police have increased searches and surveillance, leading to seizure of 1,058 gelatin sticks and detonators, 17 country-made weapons, 37 safety/detonator fuses, three electric wires, two batteries and one air pistol.

DGP said, “A total of 14,362 police had been affected by Coronavirus. They, apart from those older, have not been deployed for election duties as a precautionary measure. Police personnel who have recovered from Covid have also been kept out of poll duties. All personnel have been given PPE kits, face masks, sanitisers and hand gloves. They have been instructed to follow Covid-19 protocol while discharging duties during elections,” he underlined.

Sawang said so far, Rs 13,03,73,319 in cash, gold, silver, liquor, arrack, vehicles, ganja and sarees have been seized, including Rs 5,02,49,007 in cash. He maintained that vaccination of police personnel will start after completion of the electoral process.