Bastar police has devised elaborate security arrangements for the election period. To ward off any violent activities of Maoists, they have prepared strategy to keep eye on every activity of rebels through aerial surveillance for which 12 MI Helicopters equipped with modern gadgets besides thousands of additional paramilitary forces jawans have been provided by the Centre.
The administration has sealed inter-state borders and announced red alert throughout the division even as the forces have started arriving and are being dispatched to their scheduled places.
Bastar division Inspector General of Police Arun Dev Gautam said that jawans of Central Reserve Police Force, Border Security Force, Chhattisgarh Armed Forces and Special Task Force were patrolling the inter-state borders of Bastar touching Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Maharashtra even as thousands of Jawans trained in guerilla warfare have been dispatched to internal areas to effectively take on the Maoist insurgents.
According to Gautam, while suspected hideouts of insurgents are searched through aerial surveillance using helicopters, in each district of the division additional forces with choppers would be available round the clock for quick action which could be used in emergency situation. All the security forces have been instructed to be vigilant besides conducting regular search operations. In every district of the division, intelligence cops in plain dress will also keep tab of the activities of Maoists, he added.
According to IG, dog squads are being used to sniff out landmines and pressure bombs planted in sensitive areas as also anti landmine vehicle and bomb disposal squads have been pressed into service to conduct regular searches. To deal with dangers arising in dark forces have been equipped with Night Vision Devices (NVDs), Gautam informed.
Meanwhile, the administration has beefed up security around residence and offices of public representatives and senior officials. To check the entry of black money or illegal persons intensive checking of vehicles is done at inter-state and inter district check posts besides increasing the patrolling on National Highways. Security personnel have been instructed to strictly adhere to security norms and perform vehicle less duty, that is, to walk on foot to perform duty. The state police is also in touch of police of neighbouring States and exchanging necessary information, IG said.