To avert any foul play in the upcoming lok Sabha polls, the district administration of Gautam Budh Nagar will hand over monitoring of security arrangements to paramilitary.
Besides guarding the polling booths, the para-military forces will also be monitoring security from all the police stations. The local police will assist them to ensure fair and peaceful elections. The plan is being made considering past incidents of communal tensions across western Uttar Pradesh.
According to senior officials, the district police has been told to identify sensitive and hyper-sensitive booths and prepare a road map for deployment of personnel. It has also been asked to prepare a list of suspected persons, including bad characters, habitual offenders, trouble-mongers and other criminals. The district administration has also told them to keep a watch on the movements of such elements and take immediate action if found involved in suspicious activities. The excise department has also been ordered to take adequate measures to prevent sale of illicit liquor.
Apart from this, the administration will form five teams, namely, flying squad, static surveillance, video surveillance, video inspection and media certification and monitoring. The video team will keep vigil on candidates, political parties, political rallies and the vehicles deployed during election campaign. The team will make videos also.
The video inspection team, which will sit at the control room, will monitor the videos provided. The media certification and monitoring team will analyse media coverage. The static surveillance and flying squads will conduct surprise inspection and raid based on information supplied. These teams will also report to the district administration and election commission officials.
“As some parts of UP witnessed sporadic violence last year, the district administration does not want to leave anything to chance. All necessary measures are being taken for conducting smooth elections. The rural areas are being focused to avoid any untoward incidents,” said an official. It may be noted that Gautam Budh Nagar had witnessed communal tension last year following demolition of a wall of a mosque in a village. Violence also took place in Muzaffarnagar, Meerut, Baghpat and other districts.