Tripura troopers to be deployed for West Bengal civic polls

Agartala, May 19 : Troopers of the Tripura State Rifles (TSR) who played a key role in curbing terrorism in the northeastern state would be deployed in West Bengal to conduct free and fair elections to civic bodies, officials said here Wednesday.

The election to the Kolkata Municipal Corporation and 81 other municipalities in West Bengal will be held May 30.

"Ten companies of TSR comprising 800 troopers would leave Tripura Thursday. They would stay in Bengal till the end of the election process," a senior police officer told IANS.

According to the officer, the TSR troopers led by their commandant Bharat Paul would be deployed in different parts of Bengal.

"The West Bengal state election commission has sought additional forces from the union home ministry for the local bodies elections. The ministry asked the Tripura government to send the TSR to Bengal to provide security during the civic bodies polls," the officer added.

The TSR was constituted in 1984 to counter terrorism in the northeastern state -- 75 percent of its troopers are from Tripura while the remaining are from across the country. At present, there are 12 TSR battalions while one more is being raised.

Of the 13 battalions, nine are Indian Reserve battalions-category which means they could be deployed anywhere in India.