Meerut Police Zone is among the most sensitive areas going for elections in this phase. 2,300 of its 6,098 polling centres have been identified as extra-sensitive and 1,700 sensitive. 647 candidates are in the fray for the 42 Assembly seats here. To avoid any trouble, and goaded by the Election Commission, which will be using helicopters to monitor polls in this belt, the administration has gone on an overdrive. Some figures:

8226; 7 districts

2.5 lakh people here identified as ‘suspected mischief-makers’. More than 2 lakh made to sign bonds promising good behaviour. Residents say overzealous cops sent notices in the name of even the dead and children

Bulandshahr leads the way in number of ‘trouble makers’ 50,000, followed by Muzaffarnagar around 40,000,

Saharanpur around 35,000, Meerut around 35,000 and Baghpat 30,000

By April first week, 5,928 of 7,286 alleged criminals picked up. 782 surrender, while 492 are found to be wrongly named. 69 continue to evade police

19 illegal gun factories busted, around 2,800 non-bailable warrants executed

Thousand odd people booked under the Arms Act

Around 70,000 licensed weapons taken into custody, 60 firearms licences revoked

8 prisoners lodged in the Meerut

District Jail ordered transferred to jails outside, probably Gorakhpur and Unnao, to avoid trouble. On March 30, inmates had attacked an STF headed by DIG,

Prisons, Agra range during surprise checks

50 ‘micro observers’ to be deployed in Chhaprauli constituency Ajit Singh’snbsp; turf and Khekra Madan Bhaiyya contesting on RLD ticket from here. Another 50 for Kharkhauda constituency of

Mulayam’s rebel minister Haji Yaqub Qureshi

— M V R RAO