Dakshina Kannada ready for counting day, tight security in place: DK DC
Mangaluru: Dakshina Kannada Deputy Commissioner, Mullai Muhilan announced the completion of preparations for the counting of votes schedule on June 4. He was addressing the media at the Mangaluru Press Club on Friday.
Providing details about the tight security measures deployed at the counting center in NITK, Surathkal, Muhilan said that the strong room where the EVMs are stored will be opened between 6:00 AM and 7:00 AM, and will be under strict CCTV surveillance. In addition, the officials from the Election Commission can access the strong room only with an official ID card and by undergoing a three-phase security check.
He revealed that the counting of postal votes will begin at 8:00 AM, while the counting of EVM votes will begin at 8:30 AM.
A 100-meter radius around the center has been declared a pedestrian zone, and no vehicles will be allowed inside this area. There will be CCTV surveillance both around and inside the counting center. A steel frame mesh has been installed between the staff and agents at each counting desk to ensure the counting process is conducted peacefully and safely. Election agents must enter the counting center between 6:00 AM and 7:00 AM; late entry will not be permitted.
A total of 14,09,653 votes were cast in EVMs in the district and 8,537 votes were cast through ballot papers, including home voting, service voters, and those on emergency service. A total of 536 ballot papers were sent to service voters, and so far, 231 ballot papers have been received. Ballot papers from service voters received up to one hour before the counting of votes will be accepted, said the Commissioner.
He further stated that the counting of votes by EVMs will be conducted in eight rooms with 14 tables each, totaling 112 tables for each assembly constituency. A separate room with 20 tables has been arranged for the counting of postal ballots. Apart from the Returning Officer, 8 Assistant Returning Officers have been appointed for EVM vote counting. The Commissioner explained that a total of 554 staff members will work in the counting center, including those handling EVM and postal ballots.
The Collector said that mobiles, iPads, calculators, scissors, knives, lighters, firecrackers, electronic items, weapons, and explosives are prohibited inside the counting station. "Candidates or agents are allowed to carry only a pen, sheet notepad, and Form 17C," he added.
"The security at NITK, Surathkal will operate in three shifts. Civil Police and State Reserve Police Force will provide security at three levels in each shift," said Commissioner of Police Anupam Agrawal speaking at the press conference. He further said that a total of 850 police personnel, including DCPs and ACPs, will be on duty on the counting day.
On the day of the election result, a ban has been issued on victory celebrations, including the bursting of explosives and firecrackers, from 5:00 AM to midnight on June 4 across the Dakshina Kannada district, stated DC Mullai Muhilan.
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Two arrested in K'taka for assaulting minors, uploading CSAM content
Bengaluru (PTI): Two men were arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting two minor girls, recording the acts on mobile phones and uploading the videos online as child sexual abuse material, police said on Thursday.
The accused have been identified as Kiran Kumar (29), hailing from Chitradurga district, and Aditya M K (20), hailing from Shivamogga district, they said.
A probe was initiated after information was received from the NCRP portal regarding a suspected instance of creation of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) for online dissemination, police said.
Accordingly, a case was registered at Kaggalipura Police Station under relevant sections of the IT Act on May 10, they added.
Investigation revealed that two minor girl victims were exploited and videos were created and uploaded to the internet. The child victims have subsequently recorded their statements as per procedure and further necessary legal steps have been taken, Pronab Mohanty Director General of Police, Cyber Command, said in a statement.
Based on the statements of the victims, the accused persons, who allegedly assaulted the minors, recorded the acts on mobile phones and uploaded the videos online, were arrested, he said.
Following the probe, sections 65(2) (rape) and 70 (gangrape) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, along with relevant sections of the POCSO Act, have been added to the FIR, police said.
Officials collected relevant information and on May 12, arrested the accused persons and seized three mobile phones belonging to them, in which the videos had allegedly been recorded, he said.
The accused were later produced before the court and taken into police custody for further investigation, he added.
According to him, in CSAM cases, police usually apprehend offenders who have downloaded such content or have kept them in their possession after obtaining them from elsewhere, usually the internet.
"The present case is one of the very few instances where content creators and uploaders have been apprehended," Mohanty added.
