Strike forces -- comprising the police, India Reserve Battalion and Manipur Rifles personnel -- have been deployed at 21 locations of the three valley districts of Manipur where second phase polls are being held.
The forces, led either by a deputy superintendent of police or a police inspector and numbering between 32 to 35, would prevent anyone from disrupt the elections, official sources said.
These forces were deployed at six places in Imphal East, nine in Imphal West and another six in Bishenpur district, sources said, adding that they were well equipped with teargas or smoke gas shells.
Besides the strike forces, police commandos or quick reinforcement forces were also deployed at 55 different places in the three districts where polling percentage in early hours was reported low because of heavy rain, sources said.
They said at least a section of central paramilitary forces have been deployed at all 863 polling stations spread over the three districts.
Sources said heavy deployment of forces followed the arrest of some militants who had come down from the hills to disrupt the polls in the valley.
They said three members of the particular outfit were arrested along with some grenades and small arms.
During the interrogation they had told the police that they had been sent by their leaders to extort money from candidates and disrupt the polls, the sources added.
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