BHUBANESWAR: As the three-day senior police officers conference kicked off here on Thursday, director general of police R P Sharma asked superintendents of police (SPs) to start special drives against anti-socials in the run-up to the general elections that are likely to be held in March-April.“We discussed the preparedness for the upcoming polls. Smooth and hassle-free conduct of elections will be our priority. Police in districts should crack the whip on criminals, execute non-bailable warrants, invoke stringent laws and bust illicit liquor trades to ensure peaceful elections. We will organise sensitisation programmes for officers to ensure free and fair elections,” Sharma told media persons. The state chief electoral officer, Surendra Kumar, is scheduled to brief the senior police officers about their roles and responsibilities during the conference.DGP said warrants pending against anti-socials along with their photographs will be pasted on walls outside police stations in districts so that locals can pass on the information about the criminals to police. The top cop asked SPs to identify sensitive and hypersensitive booths and draw up security deployment plan accordingly. “We will lay special emphasis in districts affected by Left-wing extremism (LWE). Though the LWE situation is under control in Odisha , we will not leave anything to chance. Adequate personnel of central armed police forces (CAPF) will be deployed,” Sharma said.The cops will be on their toes in Maoist-hit districts in the wake of violence in the run-up to elections in Chhattisgarh in October last year. Sources said police are likely to issue a safety advisory, featuring some precautions that the politicians are supposed to adopt during their movements, road shows, public meetings and campaigning in Maoist-hit districts prior to elections. At least 15 districts out of total 30 are currently affected by LWE menace. Sharma said Odisha police achieved impressive results in anti-Maoist operations in 2018. Security forces had gunned down 19 Maoists last year.“We will also issue a circular to the commissionerate police and SPs in districts about the roles of our personnel during the elections. Police stations will be asked to intensify patrolling and strengthen their intelligence networks at the grassroots to avoid any pre-poll violence,” Sharma said.

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