Telangana stir forces CM into a safety cocoon

HYDERABAD: Has the pro- Telangana agitation turned security agencies paranoid about chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy’s security? For the first time, the chief minister was provided with a bullet proof (BP) podium to address the gathering at the AP Formation Day celebrations Tuesday.No other chief minister had got such a tight security, even when threat perception from Maoists was high.“This is the first time that a VIP was provided with a bullet-proof podium for his safety...it was required in the present scenario,” a police official reasoned.Though sources said there was no immediate input on increased threat either from terrorists or Maoists, the move appears to be part of the “precautions” against pro-Telangana activists.It is reliably learnt that the reason for the move was due to certain inputs which suggested that certain underground cadres of the Maoists may mix with pro-Telangana activists and attempt to disrupt the proceedings.Senior officers have often insisted that several UG cadres have got ‘mixed up’ with Telangana activists, especially after the movement took a violent turn earlier.The decision to have a bullet-proof podium was taken on a very short notice, government sources told Express.Sources said that three bullet-proof glasses was bought from a manufacturer in New Delhi while the entire podium was assembled in the city within two days.The podium had a multi-hit glass (it can protect from a burst of fire) and cost about `1.65 lakh.It protects a VVIP from bullets fired from an AK-47, SLR and 7.62 weapons.“Past experiences show that BP podiums instill more confidence in the VIP while addressing gatherings,” a police official said.Officials were also of the view that the additional security for Kiran Kumar was “essential” as there are around 20 high rise buildings in the vicinity of the NTR stadium, the venue for Tuesday’s gathering.