NAGPUR, January 16: Forty six companies of central para-military forces would be deployed in the Naxal infested districts of Gadchiroli and Bhandara during the coming Lok Sabha elections to ensure smooth conduct of election campaign and polling, according to D Shivanandan, deputy Inspector General of Police, Nagpur range.Shivanandan told PTI today that of these, 30 companies would be deployed in Gadchiroli alone, while the remaining would be stationed in Bhandara district. The para-military personnel could be either from Border Security Force, Central Reserve Police Force and Assam Rifles, he said. The details were being worked out and as per the availability of personnel from these central forces, they would be deployed very shortly.1,326 booths in Wardha, Chandrapur and Chimur constituencies have been identified as sensitive, while around 439 booths would come under the category of hyper-sensitive.All the three constituencies are under Gadchiroli, Wardha and Chandrapur districts. The number of sensitive booths form one-third of the total booths in three Lok Sabha constituencies.Shivanandan said besides these para-military personnel, police have sought usual assistance from Home Guards and newly set-up Maharashtra Cadet Corps.Special police officers would also be posted in all the three constituencies to help the local police. Presently, 13 companies in Gadchiroli and 4 companies in Bhandara were already on the job to curb Naxal activities and to provide protection to the personnel from Border Road Organisation (BRO) who have been entrusted the responsibility of laying roads in thick forest areas in Bhandara and Gadchiroli.Police have already launched short range, long range, and inter-locking patrolling in the entire Naxal infested areas.Shivanandan said ``No area will be left untouched. It is a peace offensive,'' and added that during the last Lok Sabha election in 1996, they had launched ``Operation Vishwas'' and had good results.Elaborating, he said 92 per cent polling was recorded in Gadchiroli's Naxal areas, claimed to be highest polling percentage in entire Maharashtra in 1996. Similarly, the police claimed that assembly elections, Zilla Parishad elections were also conducted in a free and fair manner.
