Security beefed up in East Tripura constituency

The Tripura election department stepped up security measures in East Tripura parliamentary constituency to create conducive atmosphere for polling Wednesday, a day after the Election Commission deferred the election there citing deterioration in law and order.

Chief Electoral Officer, Sriram Taranikanti said additional security measures are being taken to ensure peace before polling in the constituency, where it was deferred from April 18 to April 23.

The CEO said that he has requested the EC for dispatch of additional central security forces for deployment in the constituency.

"We are intensifying patrolling of security forces. We are also keeping a close vigil of suspicious persons and will strengthen security whenever necessary. We have asked the police to take action against the persons who are likely to create trouble," he said.

We are trying to get some more Central Armed Police Force," he said adding that their number would be decided by the EC and the ministry of home affairs.

Meanwhile, police have arrested five persons from Kalyanpur area in Khowai district on Tuesday evening on the charge of intimidating voters by threatening them of dire consequences if they turned up in the polling booths in East Tripura constituency.

The five attacked a police official and injured him when confronted while threatening the people. They were arrested, Khowai district superintendent of police Krishnendu Chakraverty said.