M F AHMAD
Daltonganj, May 3: Nearly 17 roads, metallic and non-metallic, have been identified as vulnerable and sensitive roads from the point of view of the traps of the Maoists.
Palamu police are said to have identified the stretch of these nearly 17 roads which have ‘pul’, ‘puliya’ ‘culvert’ or even have dangerous potholes where improvised explosive devices can be planted.
Palamu SP Chandan Kumar Sinha said, “We have been carrying out searches and till date, there is no recovery or discovery of any land mines.”
The SP declined to give any elaboration to the vulnerability of the roads saying the nitty-gritty of the anti-Naxal operations can’t be shared.
Palamu Additional Superintendent of Police Operations B K Mishra said, “We are making all efforts to have peaceful panchayat elections. Roads matter in any left-wing extremist hit district and we will be taking care of all.”
According to sources, the security forces and polling parties maintain a high level of caution and vigilance when out of the cluster for polling booths at the start of the polling day. But laxity is found on the return to the cluster or base after the polling is completed. Palamu has more episodes of mishaps caused by Naxals on the return journey of the security forces and polling parties than when they are on the polling job.
There have been instances in Palamu when some over enterprising presiding officers were found sipping tea or taking snacks after a day’s arduous job of conducting voting and putting the ballot stuffed ballot boxes at the tea stalls.
There was an incident near the Bazar Samiti in Daltonganj the venue for the counting of the votes when a presiding officer tried to take tea at the Bairya More with two polled ballot boxes kept under his arms little knowing that he would be mobbed down by irate people accusing him of tampering with the polls.
The then DC and SP had to try hard to save the situation from getting out of control.
Sources said the Palamu administration has admonished the polling officials not to take any liberty to cause any unwarranted scenes regarding the polled ballot boxes which should be accorded the highest level of due attention only.
Sources said it is not only the roads that matter. The top and height of numerous hillocks are equally vulnerable as if the Naxals perch on the top of the hillocks, the surrounding topography puts security forces at considerable disadvantages.
Sources said the roads and the hillocks too are being scanned for incident-free panchayat elections in Palamu.
