Good job today,but need to get ready for second phase : DGP

Odisha Sun Times Bureau

Bhubaneswar, Apr 10:

Odisha DGP Prakash Mishra today expressed ‘satisfaction’ over the smooth conduct of the first phase polls in the state  which ‘remained more or less incident-free’ and thanked the policemen and security forces for doing ‘a great job’ and ensuring complete security despite efforts by the left wing extremist forces and anti-social elements to disrupt the polling exercise.

Talking to the OST after the completion of the voting process across 10 Lok Sabha and 70 Assembly constituencies, DGP Mishra said ” We have reasons to feel satisfied about the efficacy of the security arrangements that we had put in place for the first phase polls. There were many challenges, not only from the Maoists in several districts like Malkangiri, Koraput, Nabrangpur, Rayagada, Gajapati and Rayagada. But both our officers and men did a great job today by  ensuring complete security and instilling confidence among both polling officials and voters”.

” We acted in tandem with the Election Commission and were in constant touch with their senior officials in the state,” he said.

When  asked about the disruptive acts by Maoists in certain places in Malkangiri and Koraput today, the police chief described them as  minor incidents and said such things do happen.

” There will be incidents like this but one must also remember it was a huge operation and nothing of the kind that people had apprehended happened,” he said.

However, Mishra said there is no room for complacency and that the next phase of polls would be ‘equally challenging”.

” We are neither boasting nor gloating over our performance today. Not at all. We have another phase of polls to take care of and we are taking it very seriously. Our basic task is to provide security to all and ensure peaceful polling. We hope to do that with the support of the people and all political parties, ” Mishra said.