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IAF choppers to patrol Bihar skies for 2nd phase of polls

    New Delhi: Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopters will patrol the skies over Bihar with 60,000 officers of Central Para- Military Forces and police standing guard for the second phase of assembly polls in 62 constituencies on Wednesday. Additional Director General of Police, Bihar, Abhayanand, said that four IAF choppers will maintain aerial surveillance as 600 companies of CPMF, Bihar Military Police, district armed police and Homeguards would do duty in 62 constituencies spread over Bhagalpur, Khagaria, Munger, Lakhisarai, Sheikhpura, Begusarai, Katihar, Purnia, Vaishali, Muzaffarpur and Samastipur districts. He said all the polling stations would get security cover. State election officers also said that around 1.3 crore voters would be exercising their franchise at 13,999 polling stations to choose their representatives from among 492 contestants. State's Chief Electoral Officer N K Sinha said polling will not be taken up in booths where security was not provided. Director General of Police (Bihar) Ashish Ranjan Sinha said that security personnel had also been instructed to shoot booth capturers. "After the peaceful polls in the first phase we are reasonably sure this phase will also pass off peacefully," he said.