Vijayawada: With chief minister Chandrababu Naidu insisting on reducing security cover to move closer to people, police bosses have switched to advanced technology as an additional cover.
The security personnel moving around Naidu have also been trimmed to ensure that the chief minister meets people to receive representations during his outdoor visits. However, the chief minister’s security team and intelligence wing put adequate safety and security measures through spy cams and drones for the protection of Z+protectee.
Sources said that police have deployed advanced automated autonomous drone at his residence in Undavalli which keeps flying around the surrounding areas from the top and share its feedback to the Internal Security Swing (ISW).
The autonomous drone will capture the images of suspects and immediately transfer to the security control room in the CM’s residence. The security team has also been brought down to just around 121 from 400 when YS Jagan Mohan Reddy was the CM. The vehicles in CM convoy have also been reduced to 11 from the previous 17.
Naidu directed Tirupati Superintendent of Police on his maiden visit to Tirumala after winning the election to remove cloth barricades and other hurdles to people who wish either to meet or see him. He had also made it clear that no tree should be cut down during his visits to the districts citing security reasons.
It has become a practice for police to cut down trees enroute the chief minister’s public meeting or stay venues during the YSRCP regime. Police used to close down the entire venue and even highways close to the public meeting grounds with cloth barricades to ensure that the CM is not visible to the people from outside.
However, Naidu directed the police not to initiate such measures in the guise of security. He ensured that such barricades were removed in his presence on his first visit to Tirumala. However, police continue to take additional safety measures as part of the security of the chief minister. Vexed with police cordon, Naidu instructed the DGP Dwaraka Tirumala Rao to advice the district police chiefs not to bridge security walls between him and public.
The CM during his recent Polavaram visit expressed his serious displeasure at the police for not allowing the people to reach him with representations.
