Central forces to patrol from tomorrow;TMC launches dharna

Kolkata, Mar 15 (UN) The first company of BSF, scheduled to reach Kolkata today, will beginpatrolling city streets from tomorrow, ahead of the May 19 Lok Sabha polls.

The Border Security Force company is likely to be divided into eight or ten platoons to patrol areas like Shahid Nagar near Panchasayar, Cossipore Udyanbati area and pockets in Entally and Tangra, according to police.

Each zonal DCP will coordinate with the central forces. The police have already started naka checks in two to three points in each police station area.

Temporary bamboo structures have been put up to restrict traffic and carry out checks at 82 police points across the city, police said.

The one company of BSF is in addition to the nine reaching the state today, to be deployed across Bengal.

Two companies would be deployed in South 24 Parganas district. Eight more districts, including North 24 Parganas, Murshidabad, Malda, North Dinajpur, East Midnapore, Birbhum and Paschim Bardhaman would have one company each.

Meanwhile, the ruling Trinamool Congress is staging a 20-hour dharna today and tomorrow in central Kolkata protesting the BJPs demand to EC to declare all poll booths in Bengal as super sensitive.

The dharna, to be led by the partys women wing, follows Chief Minister Mamata Banerjees blistering counter attack against the BJPs demand terming it to be an insult to Bengal. She also said that the people would give a befitting reply to the saffron partys game plan.

Image: UNI