NEWSLINKS US EDITION COLUMNISTS DIARY SPECIALS INTERVIEWS CAPITAL BUZZ REDIFF POLL THE STATES ELECTIONS ARCHIVES SEARCH REDIFF
G Vinayak in Guwahati
An extraordinary security blanket has been thrown all over Assam, even as one of the bloodiest election campaigns in recent memory ended on Tuesday night.
Altogether 40 people, mostly workers of the ruling Asom Gana Parishad and its alliance partner the Bharatiya Janata Party were killed in violence unleashed by the banned United Liberation Front of Asom.
A BJP candidate was killed and another AGP contestant was seriously injured prompting the administration and the Election Commission to rush extra forces for smooth conduct of polls slated for May 10.
Army choppers will carry out aerial surveillance while speedboats borne special commando units will patrol the Brahmaputra to prevent any intimidation or violence on the polling day, Army sources said.
While the army's role will be restricted to "dominating the area," nearly 260 companies of various para-military forces have been deployed throughout the state.
Of the 260 companies, 175 are Central Reserve Police Force, 35 Border Security Force, 30 Special Security Bureau and 20 companies of Railway Protection Force.
According to official sources over 300 columns of Army personnel are operating in lower Assam districts. The eastern Army commander Lt. Gen. H R S Kalkat visited a crucial divisional headquarter of the Army located close to the Bhutan border to take stock of the situation.
Most of the militants of the banned United Liberation Front of Asom and National Democratic Front of Bodoland are holed up in camps located in southern Bhutan along the international border with Assam.
Sources said the state has received 10 additional CRPF companies from the neighbouring states to increase the power of the existing force.
Over 18,000 polling booths have been identified as sensitive.
Back to top
Tell us what you think of this report
