DIG of police Saket Kumar Singh on Saturday inspected more than 15 booths on an average of five each in three of the most highly Naxal-infested police stations namely Herhunj, Bariyatu and Balumath in latehar district. DIG was accompanied by DC latehar Balmukund Jha.
On December 3 CPI Maoists had torched a bus on Herhunj Panki road triggering fear that the extremist violence would adversely impact the turn out of the voters in Herhunj.
However, DIG Saket said the turnout of the voters here in Herhunj was very impressive. He said rural people got back to normality much easier because there has built a sense of confidence and the bus burning by Maoists had no impact at all on the voters. The voters turnout here in Herhunj proved this beyond any doubt.
In Balumath DIG said he found heavy turnout of women voters at one booth. Saket said the women voters showed extreme enthusiasm here at one booth. He said the atmosphere in all these booths was of great festivity with nowhere having any fear of any shade of extremism. Sources said DIG’s visit to Herhunj in less than 72 hours time has boosted the morale of the security forces. None had any inkling of DIG visiting Herhunj. Sources said his visit was a surprise one with modest security cover in tow.
latehar’s police stations — Herhunj, Bariyatu and Balumath — are red ones where the security forces try all might to tame and contain the red forces. Sources said the DIG spoke to a few voters who just talked about voting and voting with no allusion to extremism at all. DIG did not visit incognito a practice top cops practice in Naxal zone. Saket went in uniform and none missed him recognizing there at Bariyatu and Herhunj.