Nagpur: In light of the upcoming state assembly elections, a high-level meeting was held between officials from Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. The focus of the meeting was on ensuring peaceful elections in the border areas, where Nagpur district’s 36 villages share boundaries with Seoni, Chhindwara, and Pandhurna in Madhya Pradesh. These border regions are considered sensitive during elections, often facing the threat of cross-border interference.
The meeting, held on Tuesday at Amaltas Hall in the Sillari Gate area of Pench Sanctuary, was attended by Nagpur District Collector Dr. Vipin Itankar, Special Inspector General of Police Dr. Dilip Patil-Bhujbal, Rural Superintendent of Police Harsh Poddar, Sub-Divisional Officers of Savner, Katol, and Ramtek, Deputy District Election Officer Pravin Mahire, Jabalpur Zone Inspector General of Police Anil Kushwaha, and the Collectors, Superintendents of Police, and Sub-Divisional Officers of Seoni, Chhindwara, and Pandhurna.
The Ramtek, Katol, and Savner villages, falling under the Ramtek Lok Sabha constituency, share borders with Madhya Pradesh. These areas are particularly vulnerable to infiltration during elections, raising concerns about disturbances or electoral malpractice. A total of 36 villages—9 in Ramtek, 11 in Katol, and 16 in Savner—are directly connected to Madhya Pradesh, and residents frequently travel between the states. During elections, the smuggling of liquor through these routes increases.
During the meeting, officials from both states assured each other of full cooperation to ensure peaceful elections. They agreed to take joint steps to curb the smuggling of liquor and weapons and to increase vigilance along the border to prevent sand smuggling. Senior officials expressed confidence that with mutual cooperation and coordination, the upcoming assembly elections would be conducted peacefully, with full support from the districts in Madhya Pradesh bordering Nagpur.
