One of the air force helicopters to be used during the elections. Picture by Shahnawaz Akhtar

Nov. 5: Security forces have ringed Koderma a day before the crucial Lok Sabha byelection, ready to thwart any attack by the Maoists, who have called for a poll boycott.

Over 15,000 armed security personnel have been deployed to man the 1,441 polling booths in Koderma. They include 56 companies of central paramilitary forces and the state armed police.

Shoot-at-sight orders have been issued to prevent booth grabbing. That the administration is aware of the Maoist threat can be made out from the fact that security deployment is almost triple of what it usually is during the general elections.

The security forces have been told to be on high alert as the Left extremists are geared up to observe the Russian revolution day on November 7 and also the first anniversary of the Giridih armoury loot on November 11. “They might use the occasion to show their strength,” said a security official.

Director-general of police J.B. Mahapatra told The Telegraph that they had studied intelligence inputs and sealed all routes leading to the Koderma parliamentary constituency to thwart any entry of the Naxalites into the area. The constituency comprising six Assembly segments — Koderma, Gandey, Dhanwar, Bagodar, Jamua, and Barkatta — is spread across Hazaribagh, Koderma and Giridih districts, all hotbeds of the Maoists.

Officials said two air force helicopters would keep vigil on the area with special focus on Tisri, Gauona, Devri, Bagodar, Birni, Saria, Pirtant, Nimiaghat and Dumri, which have been put in three zones, to thwart possible disturbances by the Maoists. Sale of liquor and use of mobile phones near polling booths have been banned in the constituency where 634 booths have been declared ”sensitive” or “hyper-sensitive”.

Chief electoral officer Debashish Gupta said instructions had been issued to let the electorate exercise its franchise without fear.

Chief secretary M.K. Mandal reviewed the security arrangements and claimed that all necessary arrangements had been made to ensure free and fair polls.

“We have made all arrangements, both on land and in the air, for not only free and fair polls but also to check the Naxalite threat during the polls,” said a confident Mandal.

Mandal, who held a meeting with district officials, said there was no reason to worry. “The administration is quite confident of conducting a free and fair poll. There should be no problem,” he said.

In case of any mishap, the chief secretary added, dependants of the victims would get compensation of Rs 10 lakh.

Sources said the police picket at Gajhandi has been given one company of jawans to stop Maoists in this area bordering Gaya (Bihar). Gajhandi is known as a Maoist stronghold and continuous patrolling is on to check rebel infiltration.

Both the police chief and Ranchi railway officials said trains would run as per schedule and routes would not be changed.

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