Polling personnel for 96 booths to be airdropped in Dumka

DUMKA(JHARKHAND): Polling personnel for 96 booths will be airdropped tomorrow in Dumka ahead of the fifth and final phase of polling in 16 constituencies on December 20.

"They will be brought back by helicopter on December 21," Deputy Commissioner Harsh Mangla told a press conference here.

Among other places, the 96 out of an unspecified number of booths are under Litipara, Jama, Dumka and Shikaripara Assembly constituencies, he said.

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren is contesting from Dumka and Barhait seats.

Dumka Superintendent of Police Anup T Mathew said adequate security forces, including para military personnel, have been deployed to conduct peaceful polling.

The previous four phases of the five-leg elections were concluded peacefully.

In the Lok Sabha elections this year, Dumka had witnessed Maoist attack on a bus carrying police and polling personnel on April 24, killing eight persons, including police and polling personnel, who were returning after conducting the third and final phase of polling for the Lok Sabha when the rebels triggered the landmine blast.

The ultra left wing extremists had also killed Pakur Superintendent of Police Amarjit Balihar when the officer was returning to Pakur from Dumka in 2013.