Strongrooms become fortresses but, outside, battle of optics rages on

Kolkata: Security across all 77 counting centres, including the seven in Kolkata, have been beefed up substantially but the political optics outside counting centres continued for yet another day across the city.The Kolkata Police also announced comprehensive security measures within the city in a bid to stop any law and order conflict, with local QRTs, bike patrolling and naka and picket checks planned. Lalbazar seniors held a top level meeting asking cops to keep an eye oncelebrations and subsequent rallies.CEO Manoj Kumar Agarwal on Sunday said all arrangements have been made for a peaceful and transparent counting, asserting that the exercise will be conducted in a "free and fair manner" without any possibility of unrest. "The counting of votes will be conducted in a free and fair manner. We are fully prepared; there will be no unrest anywhere," Agarwal told reporters.On Sunday, though, the tense mood remained visible all through the day. The two major parties, Trinamool Congress and BJP, alleged that there were suspected movements inside counting centres and claimed that there were attempts to use "unfair" means.The Trinamool Congress made its first claim regarding the counting centre at Sakhawat Memorial School, the place where the counting for Bhowanipore AC will take place.TMC claimed that a white car bearing the BJP logo and the word "Army" written on its rear was allowed to enter the strong room without proper checking. Cops dismissed the charge. In Howrah, TMC workers objected to renovation work near a strong room, prompting authorities to temporarily halt the activity.Meanwhile, cops said the focus this time will also be on violence-prone areas like Patuli-Ganguly Bagan, Bhangar and Maniktala. In all, the city will see 1,400 central forces at each divisional headquarters, 2,000 cops at the counting centres and another 8,000 cops on the roads.The security arrangement will begin from the counting centres, though with 200 central force personnel in the third and final layer of security right outside the counting centre, 120 cops in the second layer and 130 cops for the third and outer layer. CRPF DG Gyanendra Pratap Singh and special DG Vitul Kumar inspected the strong room at the Netaji Indoor Stadium and the surrounding areas ahead of the counting. At Hastings House, there will be 400 cops apart from 200 central force personnel.