Coimbatore: An election flying squad team on Sunday seized 173 stainless steel utensils from a goods autorickshaw near Pullukadu in the city.According to an official, the seizure was made when the squad, led by deputy corporation commissioner Kumaresan, inspected a vehicle that was parked near the Housing Board residential area at Pullukadu, which falls in the Coimbatore South Assembly constituency. “The stainless steel utensils, which were intended for distribution to voters, were hidden in the vehicle.” The official pegged the value of seized stainless steel utensils at Rs1,45,000. Another election flying squad team seized Rs94,000 from a biker during a vehicle check near Sungam at Ramanathapuram. An official said the cash was seized from the biker as he failed to produce supporting documents to prove its source or purpose of carrying it with him. The seized cash has been handed over to the returning officer. A total of 180 flying squad teams have been deployed in the district to intensify surveillance to prevent distribution of cash and gifts to voters. Inspections are being carried out continuously across all 10 constituencies in the district. With the assistance of central paramilitary forces, flying squad teams are also conducting checks across the district. So far, cash and gifts to the tune of more than Rs2 crore have been seized in the district.
