THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A three-layer security cover comprising central armed police force has been provided for about 100 strong rooms across the state where the Electronic Voting Machines used for the polling on Monday are kept. After ensuring an incident-free poll, the state police force has also geared up to curb violence during the counting day on Thursday.
Detailed police bandobast plans were being prepared for the 80 counting centres as well as other sensitive parts of the districts. According to police sources, the inner line security cover to the strong rooms where the EVMs are kept are provided by the central paramilitary forces. The second line of security cover is provided by police personnel of the armed police from the district armed reserve camps. The outer security layer is by the local police.
Apart from the armed security cover, video surveillance is also provided around the buildings. All buildings would also have proper fire safety and lightning arrester facilities. Of the 100 companies of central armed police forces deployed across the state for poll-related security arrangements, a major chunk had started returning from Tuesday morning.
However, some companies of forces are retained in the districts to meet any untoward incidents during the counting. The heavy deployment of forces in advance, swift response by the police and other preventive measures like execution of pending warrants and surveillance of history-sheeters had helped in curbing the law and order problems during the polling.
“There were even attempts to create communal tensions in some parts of the state, which were nipped in the bud by the police,” said a senior police official. After the elections were announced, the police carried out a drive and executed about 55,000 non-bailable warrants. Over 5000 cases under preventive sections were also initiated.
