600 Companies of Central forces to arrive in Bengal before poll

Kolkata, Mar 15 (UNI) The deteriorating law and order situation in the Maoist dominated South Bengal districts following a sudden spurt in naxal activities, was discussed at a high level meeting here today.

The meeting, presided over by State Chief Secretary Amit Kiran Deb and also attended by state Home Secretary Prasad Ranjan Roy and Director General of Police S.K.Awasthi, also discussed the details of deployment of 600 companies of Central forces in all the Maoist dominated districts of Purulia, Bankura and West Midnapore after rpt after their arrival by March 31.

Since all the three districts are going to the polls in the first phase of elections on April 17, security arrangements in each of them were being chalked out to ensure a free and fair elections, Mr Roy later told newsmen.

Refusing to elaborate the security arrangements to counter the possible threats from the Maoist guerillas and other extremist forces in the region, Mr Roy said all steps were being taken to ensure ''foolproof security'', for the polls.

Besides the Central forces, an adequate number of state armed police would be posted in and around all polling booths, numbering more than 1,000 in three districts, Mr Roy said.

Meanwhile, the Centre, following the state government's request for additional central security forces both before and during the polls, has despatched 6,000 companies of paramilitary forces from different parts of the country for their deployment not only in Maoist-dominated south Bengal districts, but also in North Bengal where the Kamtapuri Liberation Organisaton (KLO) and the Peoples War Group (PWG) are frequently active.

Assembly elections in West Bengal have been scheduled in five phases -- April 17, 22, 27 and May 2 and 8.

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