Ghaziabad:
It's election season in Uttar Pradesh and candidates are coming up with newer innovative ways to woo the voters; however questionable the means. The Uttar Pradesh police have seized 3000 bottles of liquor in boxes meant to carry school shoes.
The police expect more such attempts in the lead up to the elections, but say that their patrolling too will be stepped up.
"You need to be on the alert for even things and places where we usually dont search, you have to be more vigilant," says Ajay Kumar Mishra, SP Rural, Ghaziabad, UP police. Mr Mishra has told his men not to overlook anything.
In the past few days, illegal money to the tune of Rs 36 crore, which was allegedly meant for election spending, has been seized by the Election Commission from the poll bound states. Rs 27 crore has been seized from Uttar Pradesh alone.
That figure is expected to climb over the next few days as candidates pull out all the stops to get the edge.