The battery-equipped garland, which has now led to a security review of the Vidhana Soudha, was bought in Chennai two days ago by a Congress supporter from Kammanahalli in the city.
A loyal Congress supporter, he wanted to impress the Chief Minister on the occasion of his government completing two years in office and got the electronic garland to be noticed. “I had no bad intentions. It was my way of expressing my admiration for the leader,” he told The Hindu . He was a Congress ticket aspirant in the last Assembly elections.
He was questioned on Wednesday night by Additional Commissioner of Police (East) P. Harisekharan, who is probing the security breach. He said he was not stopped by any of the police personnel at any gate or entrance and said he was at a loss to understand why a harmless illuminated garland caused such concern.
Home Secretary S.K. Pattanayak has convened a meeting of top police officials and intelligence officials regarding revamping the security at the Vidhana Soudha. Mr. Pattanayak said they had sought a report regarding the breach in security and the scheduled meeting would deliberate on the report.
Mr. Harisekharan on Thursday conducted a security review of the Vidhana Soudha and the Vikasa Soudha. He visited the three gates and four entry doors on the ground floor of the Vidhana Soudha.
He examined all the door-framed metal detectors and X-Ray scanning machines, making note of all the deficiencies. He is learnt to have obtained the CCTV footage of the entrance to identify the personnel posted. He has also questioned the personnel posted at the building during the incident.
Mr. Harisekharan said he would submit his report on the security breach in a day or two and the other with recommendation with measures to overhaul security at the Vidhana Soudha, later.
