Bihar polls: Chhattisgarh -Jharkhand security model for five-phase elections

NEW DELHI: More than 500 companies of central armed police forces will be sent to Bihar for the assembly polls with home ministry officials adding that arrangements for assembly polls in Naxal-affected Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand will be replicated during the five-phase polling in the state.

MHA officials have held a series of meetings with CAPFs -Central Reserve Police Force, Central Industrial Security Force, Border Security Force, Sashastra Seema Bal and Indo-Tibetan Border Police -in the last few days. The forces are geared for the task, officials said.

Some paramilitary forces will, in fact, reach Bihar by September 18 and 19 to hold advanced liaisoning meetings and conduct area domination operations. The first two phases of polling on October 12 and 16 will be held in Naxal-prone South Bihar and will pose a tough challenge.

"Local police and other forces will be trained in identifying and defusing IEDs, especially in Naxal areas," a senior official said. "Often a new force that enters a state during elections is targeted by Naxals. We will have daily intelligence sharing with local cops and intensify patrolling in hypersensitive areas."

During assembly elections, central forces usually have 60 per cent-70 per cent deployment in booths. But with EC asking for 100 per cent deployment, there is little scope for booth capturing , officials said.