Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who had claimed on assuming power that he doesn't need escort or security, moves around the state under unprecedented police protection - an appalling minimum of 350 cops from different levels.
The chief minister has his own security force. But once he travels outside the state capital, top police officials in the districts are in a race to win the credit of providing him with the maximum protection at the regional level, drawing local police and special branch personnel from the district as well as nearby areas and deploying them throughout the CM's route and on all venues where he arrives.
The sad reality is that those in power do not realise that this competition among top officials to please the CM often risks the life of the common man. Almost every police station, in the area which Pinarayi could be present, falls short of personnel to attend to regular complaints, however serious they are, as happened when murdered youth Kevin's wife Neenu approached the Gandhinagar police station in Kottayam.
On Sunday, 320 police personnel were deployed for Pinarayi's security as he arrived at Kottayam to attend a few events. The 320 includes Dy SPs and female cops. A special branch force of over 20 members was also around, apart from a 17-strong force comprising the CM's regular gunman, pilot vehicle, escort and commandos.
A security panel of which the home secretary, the DGP and the intelligence chief are members is tasked with deciding on the security of the CM and ministers. They are all interested in increasing Pinarayi's protection based on an occasional intelligence report, and cementing their own seats.
The cops deployed for security have to take position on the CM's route two hours ahead of his arrival. Traffic will be blocked as is done when the prime minister travels. Cops in the pilot vehicle are in the habit of shouting at people on the streets. It was the CPM which had raised the loudest objections against K Karunakaran's convoy that had the notoriety of lightning speed.
What Pinarayi said:
'It is a special team that takes care of the chief minister's security, rather than any SI or anyone else. Which means there is no need to link the Kevin issue with the CM's tour.'
The CM's security detail in Kottayam on Saturday and Sunday:
Streets packed with cops:
• Palm Grove resort: 39 cops including a DySP, a two-cop boat patrol on Kodur river, 9 plainclothes policemen, and a strike force of 15.
• Nattakam Guest House-Palm Grove route: 11, including a DySP.
• Palm Grove-Thirunakkara maidan route: Eight.
• Thirunakkara maidan: 58 cops, strike force of 15 and the DySP's strike force of 10.
• Thirunakkara-Nattakom Guest House route: 21.
• Medical College route: 53.
• Medical College: 31 extra personnel apart from those who were on duty at Palm Grove in the morning. Gandhinagar SI M S Shibu, who did not attend to Neenu's complaint, was on duty here.
• Medical College-Thirunakkara route: 27.
Thirunakkara, LDF government anniversary: those who were on duty in the morning.
• Thirunakkara-Idinjillam route: 10.
In addition, over 20 special branch personnel drawn from the disrict and adjoining areas were on duty.
Permanent escorts: Pilot – 10, escort – 10, commandos – 12, Gunmen – 2. All of them work in two shifts. Besides, a pilot vehicle from the district the CM is touring is on duty.
What was seen in Kollam:
Chief minister's programmes: A public meeting organised by the LDF as part of the government's second anniversary, meetings with representatives from different areas.
Time: Afternoon to evening.
Security: Four CIs, three SIs (the CIs and SIs lined up, adopting the 'model' provided by the Gandhinagar SI).
The station house officers at Kollam East, West, Iravipuram and Kottiyam are CIs. All four were on chief minister duty on Sunday. East and West CIs took up position in the city while the Iravipuram CI positioned himself at Pallimukku on the CM's route on the national highway. The Kottiyam CI was at Mevaram on the national highway.
The Kilikollur SI was tasked with traffic control in Ayathil, while the Pallithottam SI had the same duty in the city.
