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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3 officials of private banks arrested in Gujarat in Rs 2,500 crore cyber fraud; 20 held so far
Rajkot (PTI): Three officials of leading private banks were arrested for their alleged involvement in a Rs 2,500-crore cyber fraud racket in Gujarat's Rajkot district, bringing the number of those held so far in the case to 20, police said on Monday.
Those arrested were identified as Maulik Kamani, a personal manager at Yes Bank in Padadhari; Kalpesh Dangariya, a manager at Axis Bank in Jamnagar; and Anurag Baldha, a personal banker with HDFC Bank, Rajkot (Rural) Superintendent of Police Vijay Gurjar said.
Dangariya and Baldha were previously employed with Yes Bank, he added.
Kamani allegedly assisted the earlier arrested accused in opening and managing suspicious accounts. He also helped bypass banking alerts triggered by high-value transactions by submitting additional documentation to keep accounts active, the SP said.
Kamani was allegedly involved in cash withdrawals that were later routed through hawala channels (illegal money transfer system), supported by digital evidence recovered from his mobile device, he added.
Dangariya is accused of facilitating the opening of fraudulent accounts using fake or misrepresented identities, police said.
He also assisted in structuring documentation, including Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC)-related papers, to prevent transactions from being flagged as suspicious, they said.
On the other hand, Baldha opened new accounts after verification and certification processes as part of the racket, Gurjar informed.
All the three accused are in police custody, while others are in jail under judicial remand, SP said.
So far, police have identified 85 bank accounts linked to the racket with 535 complaints filed on the cyber crime portal.
The total transaction linked to the cyber fraud exceeds Rs 2,500 crore, police said.
The earlier fraud amount was pegged by police at Rs 1,500 crore.
