BYRNIHAT: Security forces are on full alert to prevent any untoward incident along the Meghalaya-Assam border ahead of Tuesday’s Assembly elections in the state.
As many as eight districts, four each in Khasi/Jaintia Hills and Garo Hills, share boundaries with Assam.
“Security is in place and we are on full alert. All the polling parties have been dispatched and around half of them have safely reached their respective polling stations. As many as 11 companies of central forces along with our own police personnel are providing security at the polling stations/strong rooms and the district as a whole,” Ri Bhoi superintendent of police, Ramesh Singh told The Shillong Times on Monday evening.
Ri Bhoi has 294 polling stations. Jirang (70 polling stations) and Mawhati (57 polling stations) are the constituencies in the district that share boundaries with Assam.
The situation in Garo Hills, too, is under control with security forces and police on high alert, particularly after an NCP candidate from Williamnagar was killed in an IED blast triggered by suspected GNLA militants earlier this month.
“All security aspects have been taken care of,” West Garo Hills deputy commissioner, Ram Singh told this correspondent, when asked about the preparedness for Tuesday’s polls.
Static surveillance teams are also on the job ahead of the polls with cash of over Rs 50 lakh reportedly seized from individuals in parts of Ri Bhoi and East Khasi Hills in the past 48 hours.
Assam, meanwhile, is extending full cooperation so that the election process, particularly along the border areas, passes off smoothly.
Dry days have been declared in this regard within the adjoining or border areas in Assam from 4 pm of February 25 to 4 pm of February 27 and on March 3 (counting of votes).
“Police along with magistrates are taking care of the security situation along the border areas. We have had discussions in this regard with Kamrup SP and circle officer. Police forces are on the job,” Kamrup deputy commissioner Kamal Baishya told this correspondent.
Baishya also said dry days have been announced in places like Chaygaon, Palasbari and Boko from Sunday evening till 4 pm on Tuesday.
On the issue of dual voters in some villages in Chaygaon bordering Rambrai Jyrngam of Meghalaya, the deputy commissioner said, “We have learnt about the presence of dual voters but it is difficult to ascertain the number of such voters. But about 15 days back, we had shifted a polling station from one of the villages under Chaygaon to Meghalaya after pursuing the matter with the authorities in that state and joint verification.”
This correspondent had recently visited Umthuli, one of the villages housing dual voters mainly from the Garo community.
“Now, we have to walk over 5 km to vote in Kyrshai (Meghalaya) after district administration authorities of Kamrup (rural) visited the area and informed us about it,” a dual voter from the village rued.
Checking activities have been intensified in all the entry and exit points too.
“We have intensified frisking and patrolling in Jorabat and the interior areas,” PP Gogoi, officer-in-charge of Jorabat police outpost, said.
