The Election Commission has announced a stringent security plan for the second phase of assembly polls in West Bengal, making it clear that any attempt to disrupt voting or obstruct electors would be dealt with firmly. The EC directed security personnel to carry out constituency-wise deployment and step up area domination exercises in interior lanes and sensitive neighbourhoods to ensure that voters can exercise their franchise without fear.
During a high-level coordination meeting, attended by poll officials, senior police officers and commanders of central forces from three election districts under Kolkata, the EC reviewed the preparedness in 142 constituencies that would go to polls on April 29. The meeting was also attended by the Commissioner of Kolkata Police; District Election Officers of Kolkata Uttar, Kolkata Dakshin and South 24 Parganas; returning officers; general and police observers; Special Observer Subrata Gupta; and Special Police Observer N.K. Mishra.
Meanwhile, state Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Kumar Agarwal, who visited Kakdwip in the South 24 Parganas district ahead of the second phase of polling, held a meeting with representatives of various political parties and urged them to encourage voters to participate freely. He said CCTV cameras would be installed at every polling station, central forces would remain deployed at booths, and unauthorised persons would not be allowed within 100 metres of polling premises.
NIA registers case over recovery of 79 crude bombs in Kolkata
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has registered a case to probe the recovery of 79 crude bombs in poll-bound West Bengal. Officials said the move came following a directive by the Union Home Ministry in this regard. In a statement, an NIA spokesperson said, in pursuance of the home ministry’s order, the anti-terror agency registered a case, which was originally filed at Uttar Kashi police station, Bhangar division, Kolkata, on Saturday, and took up the investigation.
The case pertains to the recovery of 79 crude bombs and other incriminating materials by Kolkata police, which were being stored at a spot, thereby endangering human life and property. Earlier yesterday, the Election Commission had directed the West Bengal Police to launch a special drive to arrest those involved in the illegal manufacturing of crude bombs in the poll-bound state.
It asserted that all cases related to the making of any such explosive would be probed by the National Investigation Agency. The directive came after the police recovered a large number of crude bombs from the house of a person, allegedly a TMC worker, at Bhangar in South 24 Parganas district, days ahead of the second and final phase of the assembly polls in the state.
Meanwhile, one person has been arrested. In connection with an explosion case of 18th March, when the blast occurred in West Bamunia village of Chaltaberia, Bhangar, while crude bombs were being assembled. The accused, Wahidul Islam Molla, is reported by NIA sources to be directly involved in the incident. Investigators say Trinamool booth president Mosiur Kazi was injured during the process. His body was later recovered nearly 24 kilometres away in Haroa. The NIA continues its probe into the wider network behind the case.
