Gujarat gets 175 companies of para forces

Around 20,000 personnel from these forces would march across the state for the next five days. Confirming the arrival of the paramilitary forces to the state, DGP P C Thakur said, “Twelve companies have already arrived and another in hundreds is expected to arrive soon. The security forces have arrived here from every corner of the nation to work along with Gujarat Police during the polls.”

The Central forces have been largely reserved for the sensitive booths in the state.
DIG (Law and Order) Narsimha Komar said, “All districts will get at at least two to three companies, while the sensitive and troubled will get more as per need shown by the chief of the district or city. The forces will provide tight security to the sensitive booths to ensure no untoward incident takes place before and during the polls.”

Apart from these para forces, the state will also receive Armed Unit teams from other states specially Punjab, Haryana, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra to name a few, who would guard the cities and districts. Teams of the state armed forces have already started arriving.

During a recent review meeting in the state, the Election Commission declared 10,775 out of the total 45,380 booths in the state as critical. The booths were declared critical based on issues like communal, anti-social, higher use of money and muscle power. The EC had also identified 43 Assembly seats, where money power affecting elections in Gujarat is a factor. Each of the communally sensitive booths would be guarded by para forces. Most of the communally sensitive areas have been identified to be in Ahmedabad, Godhra, Surat, Vadodara, Bharuch, Kutch, Rajkot and Junagadh.

Deployment of the paramilitary forces has, however, been three times less than during the Assembly polls, when the Centre sent 493 companies, with a strength of over 65,000 personnel.

The Centre had stated that in the absence of enough hands, the Gujarat Police had sought such huge numbers, while the State Police had claimed that it was the Centre’s decision despite adequate hands in the State Police.

Sources in the DGP’s office said that since the strength of the Gujarat Police on field this year is almost 80 per cent, with the recent recruitment of over 20,000 personnel as constabulary and Sub-Inspectors, the companies of SRPF have also increased to its maximum. Twenty companies of SRPF, with a strength of more than 1,600 personnel would be deployed in areas along the border, in forest, interiors and other troubled areas across the state.

A senior officer said, “After lessons of seeking ‘Central hands’ in the Assembly election, state police this year sought no assistance from them and agreed to take only what the Centre gave on their own accord. The Centre has sent this strength after looking into the needs in Gujarat. This is the kind of strength we required for Gujarat and not 65,000 like last time. After the forces had arrived last time, State Police had no place left for deployment.”

For Gujarat Police, security of CM Narendra Modi is one of the key priorities. The CM enjoys Z+ security of the National Security Guards commandos. Gujarat Police’s State Intelligence Bureau has been working from over an year on the special security cover that the State Police has been providing to the CM during his visits in other states after the Patna rally blasts. The State Police have received Central Intelligence Bureau alerts on possible terror attacks at Modi’s rallies and meetings in the country.

Apart from the CM, the other ministers and political leaders, contesting elections, also enjoy Z+ security. However others like Amit Shah remain a serious concern.

As per Central instructions, the forces have been asked to carry out flag marches in each district and city and patrol in troops and identify the anti-social elements. The forces will conduct their final march after all the companies arrive by April 27.