DGP reviews law and order

BERHAMPUR: Ahead of Kandhamal Lok Sabha (LS) byelection, DGP Sanjeev Marik on Wednesday reviewed law and order situation in the parliamentary constituency spread over four districts. "All arrangements are being made to ensure a violence-free poll," he said. The byelection is slated for October 15.
The SPs of Kandhamal, Ganjam and Boudh, DIG (southern range) Amitabh Thakur, ADG (law and order) B Jha and IG (operations) S Priyadarshi attended the meeting held at Phulbani.
The LS constituency comprises seven assembly segments ? Bhanjanagar in Ganjam, Baliguda, Phulbani and G Udaygiri (all reserved for ST) in Kandhamal, Boudh and Kantamal in Boudh and Daspalla (SC) in Nayagarh.
The DGP directed the SPs to launch a special drive to execute pending non-bailable warrants, curb illegal transportation of liquor and keep a strict vigil on movement of Maoists, particularly in the rural pockets.
All seven assembly segments under the poll-bound LS seat are Maoist-affected. On September 10, police busted a Maoist camp in Barimunda forest along Ganjam-Kandhamal border. A policeman was injured in the exchange of fire between security forces and Maoists.
Official sources said Marik has asked the SPs to deploy additional forces on election duty after studying the situation. "We will prepare a detailed report, seeking additional forces, in the next two days after assessing the probable sensitive and hyper-sensitive booths in different assembly segments" said one of the SPs.