First convoy of additional CAPF arrives ahead of 5th phase

Baramulla, May 15: The Baramulla Parliament constituency is all set to go for the 5th phase of the Lok Sabha (LS) polls on May 20 amid political buzz in north Kashmir.

Besides other arrangements in place, additional companies of the Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) have started arriving in the parliamentary constituency.

The first convoy of the additional companies arrived in the Baramulla district on Wednesday.

The convoy movement of CAPF towards north Kashmir started after the culmination of 4th phase of parliamentary polls in the Srinagar parliament constituency on May 13.

An official said that the requisition for the deployment of an additional 80 companies of CAPF has been submitted to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) for the Baramulla parliamentary constituency. The official said that on Wednesday, around 19 companies including BSF, CRPF, and ITBP arrived in Baramulla and were deputed to the concerned areas falling under the Baramulla Lok Sabha constituency.

“These 19 companies include 10 companies of ITBP, four companies of BSF, and five companies of CRPF. The movement of the convoy will continue for the next few days and the paramilitary forces will be deployed to their designated areas as per the requirement,” the official said.

Baramulla parliament constituency comprises Baramulla, Kupwara, and Bandipora districts besides two assembly segments of Budgam and Beerwah.

The authorities have done a detailed mapping of vulnerable areas to ensure smooth and incident-free polling in the Baramulla constituency.

The Baramulla parliament constituency has 17,28,501 electors, as per the special summary.

As many as 2103 polling stations across the four districts have been set up of which 905 polling stations fall in Baramulla district and all of them have been declared critical polling stations.

The election authorities have started home voting across the 1-Baramulla parliamentary constituency which enabled the designated voters aged 85 years and above and Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) to cast their vote.

As per the officials, 39 polling parties had been constituted for the purpose across the Baramulla district, with 16 designated for Uri, two each for Gulmarg and Baramulla, three each for Wagoora-Kreeri and Pattan, and five for Sopore.

In Baramulla district, a total of 449 voters are registered as elderly and PwD electors with over 40 percent facing disabilities.

Talking to Greater Kashmir, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Baramulla, Amod Ashok Nagpure while briefing about the security arrangements put in place for the smooth conduct of the elections said that the Police in Baramulla has made strict security arrangements throughout the district wherein checkpoints and searches were being conducted at various locations, while flying squads and static surveillance teams were monitoring activities under the CCTV coverage.

He said that actions were being taken under CRPC and PSA against elements creating fear and terror in the society while the campaign had been intensified against anti-social elements as well.

"We are registering cases under PIT NDPS against drug peddlers. Absconders trying to evade Police arrest are being brought before the court. Licensed weapons are being deposited at police stations, and vigil is being kept on individuals involved in past incidents of stone pelting or terrorism,” Nagpure said.

He said that the Police in Baramulla were working diligently on all fronts.

“We aim to ensure peaceful parliamentary polls in the district and encourage active participation of people in voting," Nagpure said.