Over 2,500 security personnel on duty

Laxman B. Nimbargi, Superintendent of Police, said that over 2,500 security personnel will keep a tight vigil to ensure fair polling in Udupi district on Saturday.

Addressing presspersons here on Thursday, Mr. Nimbargi said that there are 1,103 polling booths in the district. Of these, 226 have been categorized as critical.

The security personnel included 16 companies of paramilitary force including the Border Security Force, the Sashastra Seema Bal, and the Central Reserve Police Force, three units of the Karnataka Reserve Police Force, local police and also personnel from Haryana police.

In addition, the Home Guards too would be pressed into service.

There are 17 checkposts with CCTV facilities at different points across the district.

There are 54 polling booths in naxalite affected areas. Regular beats had been held in these areas.

As many as 2,232 security cases had been booked since January. These cases included those against history-sheeters, repeat offenders and habitual offenders. They had furnished security bonds to the police. Of the 3,858 arms with licence holders in the district, 3,853 had been deposited with the police. The rest had been allowed to keep arms as they were security personnel at banks and other places.