• Unaccounted Rs. 5.92 lakh cash being taken from Mysuru to Pandavapura seized
• 2 kg ganja being transported from Kerala confiscated at H.D. Kote and Hunsur

Mysore/Mysuru: Considering the high-profile electoral battles in Mysuru region, the District Administration and the District Police have set up 30 check-posts across the district to check the flow of cash, liquor and other freebies that are meant to entice voters.

This stringent measure has been taken even before the announcement of election dates based on the directive from the Election Commission and the District Election Officer. The Mysuru District limits have 30 check-posts as of now and checking has already begun in two shifts, 24×7.

Once the Model Code of Conduct is announced, more check-posts will be set up and personnel drawn from the Police, Excise, Forest Department, GST, Tax, Revenue Static Surveillance Teams and other squads will monitor them.

Geographically, Mysuru district is divided across many crucial Constituencies like Chamundeshwari, Krishnaraja, Chamaraja, Narasimharaja and Varuna and wherever political battles are fought with feverish pitch, voters are bound to be wooed with cash, liquor, electronic and kitchen equipment.

 “It is important to take steps to prevent and curb electoral malpractices. We have already begun checking every vehicle entering and exiting Mysuru and the search will be intensified once the Model Code of Conduct comes into force. As of now, we have personnel working in two shifts and later, they will work in three shifts and the entire vigilance process, seizures and other proceedings will be videographed to maintain transparency,” Superintendent of Police Seema Latkar told  Star of Mysore this morning.

Inter-State and inter-district points: To curb voter appeasement, all the entry and exit points in Mysuru (inter-State and inter-district points with Mandya, Kodagu, Hassan and Chamarajanagar) have been sealed. The task of the personnel at these check-posts is to intercept vehicles and check for cash, liquor and other gift items. Four-wheelers and even buses are made to stop and thoroughly checked.

Last night, one kilogram of ganja that was being transported from Kerala to Mysuru was seized at H.D. Kote check-post and one more kilogram of the weed was seized in Hunsur.   Arrests have been made and interrogation is on.

Check-posts have been set up at  Bannur Road, Nanjangud Road, T. Narasipur Road, Hunsur Road, Bogadi Road, Manipal Hospital Junction, Kalasthawadi on the Mysuru-Bengaluru Road, KRS Road and all the connecting Ring Roads in city. Several entry and exit points between Constituencies will be set up after the Model Code of Conduct comes into force.

Rs. 5.92 lakh cash seized

In a related development in Srirangapatna last evening, the Mandya Police have seized unaccounted cash worth Rs. 5.92 lakh that was being transported from Mysuru to Pandavapura in a car. The cash was seized at a check-post set up at Shanthikoppalu and the cash was detected during routine checks. The driver of the car fumbled for answers during the Police questioning and had no records to support the large cash bag.

The cash has been seized and a case has been registered at Arakere Police Station. The details of the driver are not known. The Police have asked them to produce relevant documents and release the cash. 

Excise Control Room

With an aim to ensure free and fair elections and to prevent the movement of liquor from place to place, the Excise Department has established a Control Room at the Office of Joint Commissioner of Excise (Enforcement and Investigation), Mysuru division.

Public can contact the Control Room to register complaints/information about illegal manufacture, storage, transportation, distribution of liquor and other illegal activities.

In a press release, the Joint Commissioner of Excise has said that the Control Room will be functional till the election process is over. He also urged the public to alert the Department on Phone: 0821-2340269 or Mob: 98453-82905.