Delhi Police have admitted that such professionals are also hired to influence and intimidate voters, threaten rival candidates and create violence during elections. (File photo)
HIGHLIGHTS
- One hire's daily rich-diet cost ranges between Rs 3,000 and Rs 3,500
- Rs 2,000-Rs 3,000 a day is paid additionally, depending on ratings, locality
- Police told all gym owners bodybuilders shouldn't be hired to create poll trouble
This poll season, the Delhi Police have a 'muscular' job at hand! They have drawn up lists of all gyms and akharas in the city and asked the owners to ensure bodybuilders and wrestlers aren't roped in for any 'muscle misuse' during the Lok Sabha elections.
"Lists have been prepared. All gym and akhara owners have been summoned and sensitised to keep a watch on their members, particularly those with muscular physique," said DCP (South-East) Chinmoy Biswal.
Alarm bells are ringing in the police department after inputs came in that politicians are rushing to hire 'musclemen' who can be their 'shadows' during rallies and 'check any mischief' by polling agents of rival parties.
The seven-phase Lok Sabha elections begin from April 11 and Delhi goes to polls in the sixth phase on May 12.
Delhi Police spokesperson Madhur Verma said such professionals are also hired to influence and intimidate voters, threaten rival candidates and create violence during election rallies.
Delhi has a number of gyms and akharas whose owners have been asked to mark their members' attendance with contact details every day so that the police can keep tabs on their whereabouts.
If anyone fails to mark his presence for two consecutive days, his family members will be contacted, the police said.
As 'musclemen' are also being brought from neighbouring states, Delhi Police have requested their Haryana and Uttar Pradesh counterparts to monitor attendance records in gyms and akharas in their jurisdiction.
Devesh C Srivastava, Joint Commissioner of Police, (Southern Range), held an inter-state meeting over the issue recently.
"The South-East district always has good support and co-operation from adjoining districts of Gautam Buddh Nagar in UP and Faridabad in Haryana. Inter-state co-ordination meetings for intelligence sharing and joint operations are necessary before elections to discuss emerging challenges and their solutions," he said.
During the meeting, it was decided to target those carrying illegal firearms and illicit drugs and liquor.
"We also decided to track the movement of criminals out on bail as well as musclemen going to gyms and akharas who can be misused during elections," Srivastava said.
KILLING IT!
Elections mean income time for bodybuilders and wrestlers. "One hire's daily rich-diet costs range between Rs 3,000 and Rs 3,500. He is also paid Rs 2,000 to Rs 3,000 a day, depending on his ratings and the locality for which he is hired," said a gym owner.
A party worker handling such hiring said 'musclemen' are roped in for a 24x7 job; they also need accommodation where they stay till the polling date. "With elections getting fiercer, threats of rival attacks are rising. We need protection, and have to pay for it," he said.
"We need at least six to seven grapplers to be a candidate's shadow until the polling day. Bouncers also come from security agencies. A proper skill check is done before hiring them," he said.
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