The Tamil Nadu police have stepped up security arrangements for Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami following a specific intelligence input perceiving an ‘enhanced’ threat to the VVIP from fundamentalists, Tamil chauvinists and disgruntled elements.
Mr. Palaniswami is protected by a ‘Z-Plus’ scale of security, which is handled by the core cell of the Security Branch CID and the local police. His residence/place of stay, office and convoy is protected by armed guards round the clock.
According to police sources, an alert was issued late on Sunday, indicating an enhanced threat to the Chief Minister in view of the “prevailing law and order situation” and calling for enhanced security arrangements, including anti-sabotage checks and strict access-control measures.
The intelligence input came a day ahead of the ruling AIADMK’s executive committee meeting, which is expected to be stormy in the backdrop of differences among some senior functionaries over the selection of the Chief Minister candidate of the AIADMK ahead of the Assembly election, sources said.
The police have been put on high alert in recent days after intelligence agencies came across credible information pointing to threats to leaders of the BJP and Hindu organisations like the Hindu Munnani and the RSS.
“Alerts were sent to police units across the State that some extremist elements had planned to target senior leaders of Hindu organisations. Security has also been beefed up at Israeli establishments, particularly the Jewish settlement at Vattakanal near Kodaikanal in Dindigul district," a senior police official said.
The threat to Israeli nationals had increased after the assassination of Iranian Revolutionary Guards commander Qasem Soleimani in a U.S. drone strike in Baghdad, Iraq, on March 3. The recent issues along the Indo-China and Indo-Pakistan borders and India’s close defence relationship with Israel could provoke Pakistan-sponsored terror groups in India to target Israeli diplomats, tourists, etc., the sources added.
