Koraput, Feb 16: As the third phase Panchayat polls are to begin tomorrow in two Maoist prone blocks in Narayanpatna and Pottangi block here so senior police officials today have taken stock of the security arrangements in these two blocks. A three member team of senior police officials headed by the South-Western DIG S Saini, Koraput SP Charan Singh Meena and a senior IPS officer arrived in Narayanpatna block in a chopper today morning. Later, after reviewing they went to the BSF camp and conducted discussions with senior BSF officials and the local police out there on duty. The team later went to Narayanpatna block office and discussed with the BDO Hemant Kumar Adhikari, who has been appointed as the block polling officer.
Saini informed the media that enough security have been deployed at the polling booths for the polling officials along with deplyemnt of additional police force in Narayanpatna. Out of 115 polling booths, nine have been identified as sensitive and 86 as hypersensitive. To ward off any untoward incident, a quick action team (QAT) would be stationed in the area and if necessary, a helicopter would also be engaged for aerial survey to track the movement of the left wing extremists. 30 teams of the BSF have intensified combing operations in Narayanpatna area to foil any subversive activities of the Maoists during the polling.
