Bihar, Jharkhand to cooperate for air patrolling

With first phase of Lok Sabha polls scheduled on Thursday in six constituencies in the state, Bihar teamed up with neighbouring Jharkhand to make maximum use of helicopters for surveillance, logistics and rescue operations.

Patna: With first phase of Lok Sabha (LS) polls scheduled on Thursday in six constituencies in the state, Bihar teamed up with neighbouring Jharkhand to make maximum use of helicopters for surveillance, logistics and rescue operations.

"We have received three Indian Air Force helicopters for the elections. Jharkhand has got eight of them. The Chief Electoral Officers of both the states have decided to cooperate with each other in their use to ensure smooth polling," Additional Chief Electoral Officer R Lakshmanan said. An air ambulance belonging to Apollo Hospital will be stationed at Patna airport to deal with medical emergencies. All government hospitals in the state capital have also been alerted to be ready for any eventuality. All the six constituencies - Aurangabad, Sasaram, Karakat, Gaya, Nawada and Jamui - going to poll in Bihar tomorrow are Maoist-hit. Of these Sasaram, Gaya and Jamui are reserved for scheduled castes. Maoists have given a call for boycott of elections and these constituencies have witnessed violent incidents in the recent past including the landmine blast on Monday in which three CRPF men were killed and eight others injured.