Poll personnel felicitated

MALKANGIRI: The Election Commission on Monday felicitated a team of polling officials who trekked 15 km through dense forest and hostile terrain along with their EVMs and VVPATs from Bonda Hill to Khairput to escape possible attack by Maoists.

The team, comprising 36 polling personnel, undertook the arduous journey on April 11 after the end of first phase of elections in Malkangiri district.

Malkangiri Collector Manish Agarwal said he, along with SP Jagmohan Meena, closely monitored the movement of the officials on the day of polling. “We appreciate the courage of all polling personnel who arrived safely at Khairput on April 12 morning along with their EVMs and VVPATs to avert a possible Maoist attack,” he told mediapersons.

Felicitating the polling officials here on Tuesday, Agarwal said it is due to the dedication of such polling personnel that election was conducted successfully in at least six booths of Bonda Hill. Thirty six polling personnel of six booths in Maoist infested Mudulipada of Bonda Hill under Khairput block limits had to trek 15 km from Mudulipada through hilly terrain to reach Khairput after intelligence inputs of Maoist attack on the polling party was received.Around 46 SOG jawans escorted the polling personnel.