Central forces to arrive in West Bengal for panchayat polls tomorrow

PTI Updated - March 12, 2018 at 04:01 PM.

Central forces for the first phase of panchayat polls in West Bengal, slated for July 11, would reach the state tomorrow and on Monday, sources in the state home department said today.

The central forces would comprise CRPF, BSF, CISF, besides police personnel from Punjab and Madhya Pradesh, the sources said.

Orissa was unable to provide any force in view of the impending Rathyatra.

Coordination of the central forces would be done by IG(BSF) A K Sharma, the sources said.

In the first phase, the Junglemahal districts of Purulia, Bankura and West Midnapore would go to the polls.

As per the order of the Supreme Court, 130 of the 150 central force companies would come initially and would later be reinforced by another 20 companies to be pulled out from Junglemahal in the state.

The sources said in view of the recent attack on police at Dumka in Jharkhand by the Maoists, in which the Pakur district superintendent of police along with five other policemen were killed, the West Bengal government is taking adequate measures for prevention of violence.

The forces have already started flag march in Birbhum district, bordering Pakur, after the incident, the sources added.

Published on July 6, 2013 12:07