According to the senior police officers, additional forces would be deployed in the affected regions. The poll personnel indicated that they would prefer counting to be completed before the nightfall.

While the paramilitary contingent had been withdrawn, a total of 1,600 state police personnel would be deployed on counting day. “We have deployed adequate forces at the polling centers apart from squads for patrolling. We are keeping a watch on Maoist activity,” said Purulia SP Ashok Prasad.

Since the day of election on May 11, when Maoists blew up a BSF truck on poll duty in Bandwan block, killing one and injuring eight jawans, suspected ultras have struck twice in Purulia.

On May 12, they struck at Biramdi railway station, where they looted money and locked up the railway staff. Also, three days back, another group suspected to be Maoists, attacked a camp of construction workers in Balarampur block and set ablaze three dumper trucks and one JCB. They also left leaflets saying that the attack is the result of the indiscriminate use of machinery, which was robbing the unemployed of jobs.

IGP (law & order) Raj Kanojia, however, said that the attack on the construction camp in Balarampur looked more like the handiwork of local extortionists.

“The guns they were carrying were very crude, and the leaflets that they left behind were not like those usually attributed to Maoists. We have deployed extra forces in all the affected areas in the three Maoist-hit districts. We will be resorting to a two-tier security cordon at the booths to prevent disruption by miscreants,” said Kanojia.

In the run-up to the election, Maoist posters threatening violence had warned people not to participate in the polls. Also, two prominent CPM leaders had been shot dead by Maoists in Bandwan and Arsa blocks in the week preceding the elections.

While the turnout for Purulia had been low overall, the five affected police station areas of Bandwan, Balarampur, Barabazar, Arsa and Bagmundi had seen only 45 per cent turnout, as fear of a Maoist backlash had kept voters away from the polling centers.