Majithia vs Sidhu: With high stakes in Amritsar East, cops ready for anything

PK Jaiswar

Amritsar, February 1

With Amritsar East becoming a hot seat in this election following Bikramjit Majithia’s entry into the poll fray from this constituency leaving Majitha (constituency), the police have been gearing up for the high-stakes election from this seat to thwart any violence or untoward incident.

Also read: Bikram Majithia vs Navjot Sidhu: More of a personal fight, say locals

Since his announcement of contesting poll from Amritsar East constituency, media and political analysts touted the contest between two leaders as the mother of all political battles in Punjab. According to experts, it will be a ‘high-adrenaline’ contest because of over a decade-old rivalry between the two leaders.

The police also identified sensitive and vulnerable areas in the city as well as in the rural segment of the district.

A police official while confirming this said the city police have been keeping a close watch on the development and people who come from outside and visit the (East) constituency for publicity and propaganda for garnering support.

“Extra police force will be deputed for preventing any violence and untoward incident not only in this particular constituency, but other sensitive constituencies as well,” the official said.

He said preventive action against history sheeters would be taken while keeping a close eye on suspected trouble makers.

Sitting MLA and Punjab Pradesh Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu is contesting from here. Both Sidhu and Majithia have been engaged in high-pitched war of words and traded allegations in scathing attacks against each other.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Parminder Singh Bhandal said the process of identifying sensitive and vulnerable areas would be completed in a day or two. He said the police were fully prepared to meet any eventuality. Five Assembly constituencies including Amritsar North, Sourth, East, West and Central fall in the city police commissionerate.

SSP, Amritsar Rural, Deepak Hilori said the police have identified as many as 187 critical locations in the rural belt. “Within these locations, the returning officers have also located susceptible areas,” he said, adding that patrolling has been increased at these locations. He said Central Armed Police Force was also deployed along with police teams.

263 FIRs registered, Rs2.8 lakh unaccounted money seized

Deputy Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Khaira said that since the imposition of Model Code of Conduct, the city and Amritsar rural police have registered as many as 263 FIRs and seized over Rs2.8 lakh of unaccounted money. He said the flying squad recovered 1,328-litre whisky and 2,423 litre of country-made liquor besides 21,105 litre of lahan. The police also recovered 1.654 kg of heroin and 5,157 of sedative pills. The police have also recovered three illegal weapons along with 17 live bullets.

13 poll observers Release mobile numbers to report violation

• As many as 13 poll observers have arrived in the city from the Chief Election Commission to keep an eagle eye on violations during the upcoming Assembly elections. Out of these six were general observers, five are expenditure observers and two are police observers. The officials held a meeting with Deputy Commissioner-cum-District Electoral Officer Gurpreet Singh Khaira, returning officers of different areas, nodal officers of various teams and expenditure observers of each constituency besides senior police officials here. They released the mobile phone numbers of these officers, so that people and officials could inform them about any violations.
• n Khaira said Santosh Kumar Yadav (94788-37473) would supervise Amritsar West and Attari Assembly constituencies, while Shambhu Kumar (94781-27161) would keep an eye on Amritsar Central and South constituencies.
• Similarly, Rajasansi and Amritsar North would be observed by Vinod Kumar Gunjiyal (94782-96719) and Arun Kishore Dongri (94170-32935) would look after Ajnala and Amritsar East constituency. Jandiala Guru and Baba Bakala constituencies would be seen by Preeti Jain (94657-36685), while Dr Vinay Goel (94783-49455) would keep an eye on Majitha constituency.
• He said any complaint regarding expenditure of candidates in Majitha and Amritsar Central constituencies can be lodged with Rajesh Kumar Yadav (94655-65215) and for Amritsar East, Attari and Baba Bakala people could inform Ram Parkash Rastogi (94643-92913).
• Similarly for expenditure complaints for Rajasansi and Amritsar West constituencies, people could inform Prabhat Dandotiya (94784-10286) and for Jandiala and Amritsar North, information could be given to Ajit Dan (94178-70584). For Ajnala and Amritsar South, people can inform Arvinder Sharma (94783-65949).
• Khaira said for information regarding poll violations in Ajnala, Rajasansi, Majitha, Jandiala, Attari and Baba Bakala, people could lodge complaints with police observers Rakesh Kumar Sinha (94781-19520) and for Amritsar North, West, Central, East and South constituency information could be given to RM Pandey (94642-67451).