Fool-proof security arrangements for star campaigners

Apart from leaders like RJD supremo,Lalu Prasad,LJP chief Ramvilas Paswan,other top leaders who are likely to visit Bihar to mobilise support for the candidates of their respective parties.

Alarmed by reported threat to some high-profile politicians in course of campaigning for Lok Sabha polls in Bihar,the state administration has decided to make ‘fool-proof’ security arrangements at all the meeting venues.

“The state police headquarters have issued necessary instructions to the Superintendents of Police to chalk out in details the security arrangements to be made for high-profile leaders in consultation with their respective district magistrates to ensure trouble-free meetings in course of electioneering,” official sources said.

Refusing to divulge the names of politicians who were likely to be targeted by ultras or anti-social elements during the campaign,saying it might create ‘unnecessary panic’,they said several leaders were in the ‘hit-lists of the naxal outfits,terrorists and other law-breakers.’

Story continues below this ad

“Though we will be providing required security cover in accordance with their security categories,it is also necessary to tighten security at the places where they are scheduled to hold election meetings with prior intimation to the district authorities,” sources said.

The special security arrangements were being made following intelligence inputs apprehending attacks on these leaders,they said.

Apart from leaders like RJD supremo,Lalu Prasad,LJP chief Ramvilas Paswan,other top leaders who are likely to visit Bihar to mobilise support for the candidates of their respective parties and alliance,include Prime Minister Manmohan Singh,NDA’s prime ministerial candidate L K Advani,Congress president Sonia Gandhi and its general secretary Rahul Gandhi,SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav,CPI-M leader Prakash Karat.

A senior BJP leader Venkaih Naidu had a miraculous escape in naxal affected Gaya district during the previous assembly elections in Bihar. Naidu had to escape on the motorcycle of a local party worker to save his life after the naxalites burnt his helicopter soon after it landed at a field under Barachati police station in Gaya district when it ran out of fuel.

Story continues below this ad

Similarly,a Lok Janakhati Party candidate,Rajesh Kumar was killed in an attack by suspected naxalites under Imamganj police station in the same district during the 2005 assembly pollsin Bihar.

Senior BJP leader and Rajya Sabha member Ravishankar Prasad was shot at and critically injured,while his party colleague Pramod Mahajan escaped unhurt when an anti-social fired at a public meeting at nokha in rohtas district during the last assembly elections,sources recalled.

ADG (Headquarters) Neelmani said all SPs have been asked to provide security to the candidates keeping in view the threat perceptions.

Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram