40,000 cops to ensure smooth Lok Sabha polling

Mumbai: In the backdrop of terror attacks in Sri Lanka, Mumbai has been put on high alert and the city will turn into a fortress for the Lok Sabha polls Monday.

The Mumbai police will deploy a massive force of 40,400 for smooth execution of the Lok Sabha elections outside 10,073 booths at 1,492 locations in Mumbai.

Commando forces including the Force 1 and Quick Response Teams along with anti-terror cells of police stations have been briefed for their role during the polls.

The police said that the crackdown on illegal weapons has led to the seizure of 391 firearms in the period when the model code of conduct has been applicable, and the execution of 4,833 non-bailable warrants.

All police stations will in work full force starting this weekend till the elections are concluded in six parliamentary constituencies – four in the suburbs and two in the city.

The police said that the 2,601 booths at 527 locations in the city and 7,472 booths at 965 locations in the suburbs will see heavy deployment of city police and paramilitary forces.

“There are no vulnerable booths in Mumbai, however 325 polling stations have been declared critical. Apart from city police, 14 companies of paramilitary forces and 12 companies of state reserve police along with 6,000 home guards will be part of the security quadron,” said an officer of the Mumbai police.

As a part of preventive action, the Mumbai police has externed 204 habitual criminals from the city, taken written bonds from 8,117 persons under the provisions of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), served notices to 5,765 persons, and filed six MPDA cases ahead of the polls.

The action against liquor and narcotics includes 510 cases of alcohol seizures with 2648 litres of booze taken into custody and 187 cases of drug possession. In all, 209.9kg of narcotics worth Rs 40.82 crore has been seized by the Anti-Narcotics Cell of the crime branch.

The police has also seized unaccounted cash to the tune of Rs 10.51 crores in 35 separate incidents. The Income Tax department is probing the seizures further, officials said.