Four MI-8 choppers of the Indian Air Force would be deployed for conducting aerial surveillance and operation against Naxalites in Bihar, during the state assembly polls in October and November.

The state Chief Secretary, G S Kang, told rediff.com that the government will be hiring the four helicopters from the Air Force. He said that in the February assembly polls, two helicopters had been used for aerial surveillance.

Kang said that the choppers will be deployed in the Naxal-affected districts of Gaya, Aurangabad, Jehanabad, Arwal and Nawada, during the first phase of polls on October 18.

Besides aerial surveillance, Kang said that nearly 600 companies of central paramilitary forces would be deployed in the state to conduct peaceful and fair polls.

Director General of Police, Ashish Ranjan Sinha said, 'area domination exercises' were also being launched to effectively check the inter-state movement of the Naxalites.

Under the exercise, central forces in Naxalite-infested areas would be deployed on the Bihar-Jharkhand borders and in the highly sensitive areas to smoke them out from their strongholds.

The Centre has also agreed to make available 150 companies of Central Reserve Police Force, which are expected to arrive here soon.

More news: Bihar

With inputs from PTI