Tight security for counting day

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Sept. 18: All police stations in Malda district have been put on high alert following reports that post-poll violence might take place after the announcement of the Lok sabha by-poll result here tomorrow. Mr DK Mondal, the Malda SP, said extra security measures have been put in place in the Kaliachak and Aridanga assembly segments. It was learnt that a company of Central paramilitary had been stationed on the Malda Polytechnic premises where the counting will take place tomorrow. Additional police forces will be deployed outside the counting hall premises, the SP informed. Intelligence officials said there was a possibility of violence after the announcement of the result tomorrow. Sources said the Congress workers here would not be able to restrain themselves, if their candidate, Mr AH Khan Choudhury, loses the battle against his CPI-M rival, Mr Sailen Sarkar. The issue of the late Congress leader, Ghani Khan Choudhury, is still a sentimental one for the Malda Congress workers of Kaliachak segment who worked hard in the run-up to the by-poll in a bid to ensure their candidate’s victory It may be recalled that Mr AH Khan Choudhury was defeated in the assembly election this year at Kaliachak and some Congress workers had accused the CPI-M of playing communal cards to defeat Mr Choudhury. Considering all this, the Malda police are leaving no stone unturned to avoid post-poll violence ~ especially at Kaliachak and Aridanga. Police officials have also not ruled out the possibility of violence erupting in the district after the announcement of the result tomorrow.