The Krishna district police formed 20 shadow teams to check online transactions through various apps, during the municipal and urban local body elections scheduled on Wednesday.
“We are keeping a close vigil on the distribution of money through different apps. If any person passes us information, we will act on the complaint immediately. Special focus has been laid on distribution of money and liquor during the municipal elections,” said Superintendent of Police M. Ravindranath Babu.
Foolproof security arrangements have been made for polling in Machilipatnam, Pedana, Nuzvid, Nandigama and Tiruvuru. As many as 1,500 police personnel, APSP platoons, three Additional Superintendents of Police, 12 Deputy SPs, 25 Circle Inspectors and 70 Sub-Inspectors will be deployed on election bandobust.
Besides, Mahila Police, striking forces and mobile parties will be guarding the polling stations. Section 144 will be in force at all the booths, the SP said.
In Vijayawada, Police Commissioner B. Srinivasulu said that 3,312 police personnel, including four Deputy Commissioners of Police (DCPs), Additional DCPs, 18 Assistant Commissioners of Police (ACPs), 41 CIs, 114 ASIs, 447 Gram/Ward mahila samrakshana karyadarshulu and 400 other supporting staff have been deployed at 788 polling stations for the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) elections.
Of the 788 polling stations, 74 were identified as hypersensitive and 61 as sensitive stations. In Vuyyur nagar panchayat, of the 20 polling stations, five were hypersensitive and 12 were sensitive, Mr. Srinivasulu, who visited the sensitive and hypersensitive booths said.
“Police bound over 341 rowdy-sheeters, 412 suspect sheeters, 264 troublemongers and 880 persons who have a criminal history during elections (political troublemongers). We recovered 285 weapons and booked 383 cases,” the Police Commissioner explained.
