Date:24/02/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/02/24/stories/2005022407071100.htm

National

Effective policing saves the day

By K. Balchand

— Photo: Ranjeet Kumar

KEEPING BOOTH-CAPTURERS AT BAY: Securitymen scare away miscreants who tried to capture a polling booth in Chipnama village under the Maner Assembly constituency in Bihar on Wednesday.

PATNA, FEB. 23 . The current Assembly polls is one of the most peaceful elections that Bihar witnessed for a long time now, thanks to effective policing across the State. The third and last phase of polling in the State ended today.

At least three persons were killed in as many incidents of violence, including one in police firing in Mokama in Patna district. The BSF fired at booth-grabbers at Gosain village under Ghoswari police station killing one anti-social element.

One person was killed while making bombs in Lalganj in Vaishali district and another in a shootout in Muzaffarpur district.

The death toll in the three phases of election stands at 12 against 48 reported in the 2000 general elections.

Of the 12 deaths, police firing accounts for five lives, underlining the effective security arrangement put in place for the first-time ever. A record 500 companies of paramilitary forces have been deployed to maintain law and order in the 93 constituencies where polling was held today.

The police swung into action at booth number 119 in Chitnamahi village in the Maner Assembly constituency in Patna district when supporters of the rival candidates sought to grab the booth and disturb the polling process. They opened fire to scare away the people. Immediately, policemen took up position and trained their guns on the miscreants. It paid off and polling continued without hindrance.

The Special Adviser to the Election Commission, K.J. Rao, is the man behind the arrangements to put down the criminals. Mr. Rao personally monitored the situation and used a helicopter to visit all the sensitive districts and constituencies where violence was feared or where criminals were supposed to hold sway. At times, he would barge into a booth and issue corrective orders. At least 775 candidates with a criminal background are in the fray in the State out of which 438 are said to be strongmen. Some of them are contesting the polls from behind bars.