Mangaluru : The Mangaluru and vDakshina Kannada district police are making all efforts to ensure the prevalence of a conducive atmosphere for the conduct of a free and fair poll in the 17th Lok Sabha elections.

Addressing a joint press conference with Deputy Commissioner S. Sasikanth Senthil here on Monday, Police Commissioner Sandeep Patil said the police have started externment proceedings against 11 persons. Besides over 1,120 persons who are likely to create trouble have been identified and preventive security measures are being initiated against them.

Mr. Patil further noted that 2,010 licensed weapons are in use in the Commissionerate and notices are being issued to their owners to deposit them at the jurisdictional police stations. Special exemption has to be obtained for not depositing the weapon, for example, by bank security personnel, etc., he said.

In the district, 9,621 licensed weapons are in use, said Superintendent of Police Laxmi Prasad adding that if owners find it difficult to deposit them with the jurisdictioanl police, they may deposit it with the weapon vendor. An acknowledgement for depositing the weapon has to be submitted to the police, he added.

The district police have identified over 300 people who are likely to create trouble. Steps are being taken to get indemnity bonds from them.

As many as 46 polling booths are identified as Naxal-affected and will be provided security from Central Armed Forces. Already two teams of Anti-Naxal Force are operational in the district, Mr. Prasad added.

The city and district police are holding regular meetings with their counterparts in neighbouring Kasargod district for effective functioning of border check-posts, Mr. Patil and Mr. Prasad said.