Srinagar: Additional Director General Police law and order and security Muneer Ahmad Khan on Thursday said that police has put poll contestants of municipal and panchayat elections in hired hotels already guarded by heavy contingents of police and paramilitaries.
Talking about the security plans for the poll candidates in future, Khan said “Government would think about incidental and cluster security after the polls are over.”
“The number of candidates for Panchayat and Municipal elections unlike assembly and parliamentary elections is very large and the number of candidates for ongoing civic elections is in thousands. The candidates have to be provided security but police can’t provide security to every individual.”
He added, “The strategy for incidental and cluster security arrangements is being given a serious thought and once the Municipal and Panchayat elections are over, the security of the all contestants will be reviewed. Presently the candidates contesting municipal and panchayat elections have been lodged in hired hotels already guarded by the heavy contingents of police and paramilitaries.”
Earlier, independent candidates contesting the Municipal elections called a press conference in Munawarabad on Thursday to express their extreme dissatisfaction with the security arrangements being issued by the state government.
“I’m not safe anymore,” An independent candidate, Fazil Khan contesting from Ward 62 told reporters. “I’m getting threats as well. They promised me that they would give me security at my home. I’m trying to bring awareness to the issue but I am not getting any response in this matter. There are 79 candidates in R.K Hotel and the ogvernment has only provided us with three cabs and 4 PSOs. If this hostel is targeted, do you think only 8 PSOs can handle the whole situation?”
(With inputs from KNS)
