Jammu: Nearly 18,000 additional paratroopers have been deployed in six Assembly constituencies of Doda district in Jammu and Kashmir going to the polls on October 8 to ensure free, fair and peaceful balloting.

The paratroopers are drawn from Border Security Force (BSF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), ITBP and J&K armed police, official sources said.

The additional forces are being deployed in such a manner to ensure that voters feel confident in exercising their franchise without fear of militants, the sources said.

Security forces have also been deployed at Pirpanjal ranges touching Anantnag district in Kashmir to prevent militants from sneaking into Doda, they said.

Senior police and paramilitary officers are continuously monitoring the situation in the district where leaders of major political parties toured constituencies to woo voters.

PTI