Bhubaneswar, Nov 10: With just hours remaining for the crucial Nuapada by-poll, security forces and election authorities have stepped up their preparations by airlifting polling teams to the Maoist-affected booths deep inside the Sunabeda jungle. Special Indian Air Force helicopters were deployed on Sunday to transport election personnel to eight high-risk booths situated within the Sunabeda Sanctuary, known for its difficult terrain and Maoist presence.

According to official sources, a total of 101 booths in the constituency have been categorised as sensitive, while 57 have been marked as hyper-sensitive. Among them, 16 booths — eight in Sosenk Panchayat and eight in Sunabeda Panchayat — are under direct Maoist influence and have witnessed past attempts to disrupt electoral processes. Ensuring safe and peaceful voting in these remote pockets has become a top priority for the Election Commission.

To facilitate smooth operations, Air Force helicopters will conduct four special sorties, carrying two polling teams in each trip. Upon landing, CRPF, BSF, and Odisha Police SOG commandos will escort teams to their designated stations. Each polling team has been provided with a Jio SIM card, the only reliable communication network in the area, enabling hourly status updates for continuous monitoring.

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