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Stringent security arrangements were in place in Bhabanipur with the deployment of 15 companies of central forces ahead of the assembly by-election, a senior police official said .
Prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC were also imposed within 200 m of the polling centres where voting will take place on Thursday, he said.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is the Trinamool Congress candidate in the Bhabanipur by-election in south Kolkata, while the BJP has fielded Priyanka Tibrewal, and CPI(M)’s Srijib Biswas is in the fray.
Inside each of the 287 booths at 97 polling centres in Bhabanipur, half-a-section — three jawans — of the central forces will be deployed.
Kolkata Police officers will be in charge of the security outside the booths. “Assembly of five or more persons within the periphery of 200 m of any polling premises will not be allowed. A ban has been imposed on anybody carrying stones, weapons, firecrackers and other explosive materials,” the Kolkata Police said in an order.
Police pickets were set up at 38 locations across Bhabanipur, the official said.
On the day of the polling, 22 sector mobile, nine HRFS (Heavy Radio Flying Squad) teams, 13 quick response teams (QRTs), nine teams each of the static surveillance team, flying squad, and an equal number of striking forces from surrounding police stations will be deployed, he said.
Besides, three sub-division striking forces will also be deployed, he added. One additional police commissioner along with four joint police commissioners, 14 deputy commissioners and an equal number of assistant commissioners have been deployed for the Bhabanipur by-election, the official said.
