Andhra police clueless about Maoists tracking Naidu

The Andhra Pradesh police have no information about Maoists keeping an eye on the movements of Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu during his visits to Delhi, the state police chief said on Saturday.

Director General of Police N. Sambasiva Rao, however, said a general alert was received from the Union Home Ministry about the increased threat perception a month ago.

The DGP was replying to queries at a media conference here about reports that Maoists were keeping an eye on the movements of Naidu during his visits to the national capital.

According to reports quoting Delhi police sources, Maoists in the garb of media persons might attack Naidu at Andhra Bhavan.

Delhi police also reportedly alerted AP Bhavan over the loopholes in his security.

Sambasiva Rao said the police were taking all necessary steps for the Chief Minister's security.

The DGP said the Ministry of Home Affairs issued a general alert following the killing of 30 Maoists in a gunfight with the police in the Andhra-Odisha border area in October and also keeping in view the fact that Naidu had survived an assassination bid in 2003.

He said police kept evaluating the situation and taking additional security measures whenever required.

The police chief said the state police was capable of taking care of the situation.

Following the killings of Maoists in the Andhra-Odisha border area, a letter purportedly written by the outlawed CPI (Maoist) was sent to media houses in which it threatened to take revenge on Naidu.

The outfit had threatened a suicide attack on Naidu and his son Lokesh.

Currently, Naidu is under 'Z plus' category protection and his security detail includes members from the elite National Security Guard apart from Andhra Pradesh police's Intelligence Security Wing.

Naidu had survived a claymore mine attack by Maoists on October 1, 2003 in Tirupati.

Naidu, who was then the Chief Minister of undivided Andhra Pradesh, had sustained injuries in the blast.

--IANS

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