Central forces start coming to WB ahead of assembly polls

Kolkata, Feb 21 (PTI) Altogether 45 of the hundredcompanies of para-military forces, being sent to West Bengalto prevent political clashes ahead of the forthcomingAssembly elections, have arrived in the state, a seniorofficial said today.

"The forces have started coming since yesterday. Asmany as 45 companies have come so far," Home Secretary G DGautama told newsmen.

Stating that a ''vulnerability map'' has been worked outon the basis of inputs from the districts, he said the forceswere being deployed on the basis of the map.

The process of force deployment would be completed bythe month-end, he said.

To a question, Gautama said that the government wasstill hopeful of getting hundred company of central forcewhich it had requested for earlier.

"Talks are on with the Centre. We hope to get theforces we had requested for," he said.

Earlier, ADG (Law and Order) Surjit Karpurakayastha saidthat of the hundred company, 33 would be deployed in theJunglemahal.

He said 15 would be deployed in West Midnapore district,ten in Purulia and eight in Bankura.

Besides, eight each in North and South 24-Parganas, sixeach in East Midnapore, Hooghly and Darjeeling, five each inBurdwan and Murshidabad, four in Birbhum, three each in SouthDinajpur, Cooch Behar, Jalpaiguri, Nadia and Howrah and twoeach in South Dinajpur and Malda, the ADG said.