Voting remains peaceful in district

Amritsar, June 1

Though Amritsar witnessed low voter turnout during polling on the final day of the 18th Lok Sabha polls, the elections remained a peaceful affair on Saturday.

Barring a boycott call by residents of Lakhowal village in Ajnala to protest against the killing of an AAP worker Deep Inder Singh last night, no incident of was reported in the constituency.

Cops in the city as well as in the rural belt, including Gurpreet Singh Bhullar, Police Commissioner (CP) Rakesh Kaushal, DIG, border range, and Satinder Singh, SSP, Amritsar (Rural), remained in the field. They visited various polling stations to oversee the security arrangements.

The CP said the Police Department had made elaborate arrangements for conducting polls in a free, fair and peaceful manner. He said 12 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) and SAP were deputed along with 2,386 Punjab Police personnel in order to meet any eventuality.

“Striking reserves, patrolling parties and PCR teams were all in the field to deal with any misadventure,” the CP said. He said paramilitary forces along with cops were deputed at over 900 critical polling stations.

DIG Rakesh Kaushal said, “We thank people for the smooth conduct of elections. Foolproof arrangements were in place during elections in the four police districts falling under the Amritsar border range that included Gurdaspur, Batala, Pathankot and Amritsar (Rural).”

SSP Satinder Singh said the rural police had 13 companies of paramilitary forces, which were deployed at 700 critical polling stations in the rural belt, including two constituencies that fall under Khadoor Sabha Lok Sabha segment.