Cooch Behar, April 15 -- Senior district officials, accompanied by central forces, conducted inspections in sensitive areas of Cooch Behar that witnessed violence during previous elections, as part of efforts to ensure peaceful polling.
District Election Officer Jitin Yadav and Superintendent of Police Jaspreet Singh, along with personnel from the Central Reserve Police Force, visited several polling booths under the Cooch Behar-I block. The team interacted with local residents, urging them to participate in the electoral process without fear and assuring them of adequate security arrangements.
The officials also inspected a polling station where a fatal bomb blast had occurred during the last Panchayat elections, resulting in the death of one person.
The incident, which took place early in the morning, raised serious concerns over election-related violence in the area. Speaking to reporters, District Election Officer Jitin Yadav said that all violence-prone areas are being closely monitored. He added that central forces have been instructed to carry out regular route marches to build public confidence and encourage voters to exercise their democratic rights fearlessly.
"Our primary objective is to ensure free, fair, and peaceful elections," he stated. Superintendent of Police Jaspreet Singh noted that areas affected by violence during the 2021 Assembly and 2023 Panchayat elections have been identified and inspected. He also confirmed that an incident in the Chandamari area, where one person had died, had been investigated and an arrest made. Authorities have reiterated their commitment to maintaining law and order and ensuring a secure environment for voters in the upcoming elections.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.