120 companies of paramilitary forces for Bengal polls' first phase

Around 120 companies of central paramilitary forces would be deployed in three districts of northern West Bengal for the first phase of Lok Sabha elections in the state April 17, officials said Friday.

There will be around 120 companies deployed for the April 17 polls to four constituencies - Darjeeling, Cooch Behar, Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar, said officials in the four districts.

Fifty companies of paramilitary troopers would be on duty in Jalpaiguri district. Three companies - two of the Central Reserve Police Force and another of the Sashastra Seema Bal - are already posted in the district's border with Assam to combat the subversive activities of the Kamtapur Liberation Organisation, said District Magistrate Pritha Sarkar.

"We are expecting the rest of the central paramilitary troopers would start arriving in the next couple of days."

Altogether 15 companies would be pressed into service in the Siliguri police commissionerate area of Darjeeling district for the polls, said Deputy Police Commissioner O.G. Pal.

In the district areas other than the commissionerate, 22 companies of central forces would be in action, said Darjeeling's Superintendent of Police Akhilesh Chaturvedi.

"Nine companies are already deployed in the Darjeeling hills. Another 13 companies are expected by Sunday," he said.

Two companies of central troopers are already posted in Cooch Behar district, and another 30 companies are likely to arrive any day, said District Magistrate Mohan Gandhi.

Over 60 lakh people are eligible to vote for the four constituencies where 47 candidates are in fray.