Rs2.02 cr, arms, ammo, liquor, drugs seized

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, February 19

Rs 2.02 crore, a huge cache of arms, ammunition, liquor and drugs were seized during the Model Code of Conduct enforced in the district since January 8, the Commissionerate Police have claimed.

Besides, 546 anti-social elements, troublemakers, law-breakers and proclaimed offenders have been arrested while 19,112 licensed arms have been deposited with the police, the officials have said.

Sharing details, Commissioner of Police, Gurpreet Singh Bhullar, told The Tribune, here on Saturday that cash amounting to Rs 2,02,45,835, which is a record seizure so far, was recovered during the search and seizure operations during the poll code.

While Rs 1,71,25,655 were released after verification, the remaining cash of Rs 29.96 lakh is still under investigation.

He disclosed that nine illegal arms, 33 cartridges, 6,000 litres of licit liquor, 120 litres of illicit liquor, 1,99,920 litres of lahan, 82 kg of poppy husk, 128.5 gram heroin, 480 intoxicating tablets, 2.2 kg of opium, 2 kg of charas, and 14,950 kg of ganja have been seized during the poll code.

The Commissionerate Police have arrested 140 persons under 138 FIRs registered under various offences punishable under the IPC, Arms Act, NDPS Act and Excise Act.

As many as 87 arrests were made under 94 Excise Act cases, 45 under 35 NDPS Act, five under five Arms Act cases and two persons were arrested under three FIRs lodged under the IPC. A case under the Representation of the Public Act was also registered.

Of the total 305 identified trouble-makers, 297 have already been taken under preventive arrest, while 107 of the total 3,017 proclaimed offenders have also been held. Besides, two of the total eight parole jumpers were also arrested, while three of the total 11 non-bailable warrants were executed.

Taking preventive action against arms licensees, the Commissionerate Police have been able to get deposited 19,112 of the total 19,402 licensed weapons, besides impounding one weapon and cancelling licence of a person. However, 288 licensed arms were given exemption on security and other reasons.

45 nakas

The Commissionerate Police have laid 45 nakas in and around the city to check the movement of suspected elements and troublemakers. While 30 nakas have been laid at strategic locations to seal the city, the remaining 15 nakas have been put up on the city entry points.

Deployment

Besides 82 companies of the Central Armed Paramilitary Forces (CAPF), 11,255 Punjab Police personnel have been deployed on poll duty in the district.

Giving the break-up, the CP said 3,677 state police personnel were deployed at critical and 1,859 at normal polling locations, 278 with candidates, Returning Officers and observers, 232 on EVM security, 519 with flying squads and video surveillance teams, 360 on naka duties, 80 with QRTs and NCB teams, 762 on 24x7 area security and patrolling and 3,218 mounted patrolling in the most sensitive Atam Nagar constituency. A group of 270 police personnel has been kept on reserve duty.

Security apparatus

• Strongrooms: CRPF (3 companies with 216 personnel)
• Flying squads, QRTs: IRB (7 companies with 467 personnel)
• Polling stations: 34 companies (BSF 6, ITBP 4, SSB 9, CISF 2, CRPF 8, IRB 5) with 2,176 personnel

Candidates, ROs, Observers’ security: 278 cops

EVM security: 232 cops

Flying squads and video surveillance teams: 519 cops

Nakas: 360 cops

QRTs, NCB teams: 80 cops

24x7 area security, patrolling: 762 cops

Reserves: 270 cops

Mount patrolling in Atam Nagar: 3,218 cops

Foolproof arrangements
We have made foolproof security arrangements to ensure free, fair, peaceful and transparent polling and counting of votes. Anybody found wanting and disturbing the law and order situation will not be spared and stern action will be initiated, irrespective of the person or party affiliation.Rs – Gurpreet Singh Bhullar, Commissioner of Police

10 candidates violate poll code

• A day before the Assembly elections, 10 candidates have been caught violating the Model Code of Conduct on Saturday. The candidates were caught violating ‘48 hours’ standard operating procedure issued by the Election Commission.
• Sources said these candidates were found advertising for poll campaign on social media or print media against the guidelines. Now, the media certification and monitoring committee (MCMC) has written to the Returning Officers concerned for further action.

LIP, Congress workers clash; 3 injured

• Supporters of the Lok Insaaf Party (LIP) candidate Simarjit Singh Bains and Congress candidate Kamaljit Karwal clashed at Abdullapur Basti in the Atam Nagar constituency on Saturday night.
• Three persons — two LIP workers and one of Congress — suffered injuries in the clash.
• The Model Town police and candidates of both the parties reached the spot.
• Workers of both the parties levelled allegations against each other of distributing liquor and ration to lure voters. After heated arguments, workers attacked each other with swords.

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