Hyderabad, February 16: The State Legislative Assembly will have the tightest security ever for the budget session which will commence on February 17. More than 600 additional personnel are being deployed in addition to the regular deployment for Assembly sessions.
Unlike in the past, when the security management of the premises was entrusted to the AP Special Police and the local police, this time this task has been given to the Central paramilitary forces.
Apart from the terror and Naxalite threats, Telangana agitation must have weighed heavily with the state government for handing over the security charge to paramilitary forces like the CRPF, BSF and CISF.
Sources associated with chalking out the security of the Assembly premises told Express that a three-layer security has been planned for the coming session. The outermost cordon _ entry and exit points, rooftop domination and area patrolling _ has been entrusted to the paramilitary forces. Six companies of paramilitary forces (each comprises 80 armed personnel) have been roped in for the security. “The paramilitary forces will have no interface with the public,” sources said.
The second cordon is that of the AP Special Police which has been asked to support the civil police in case of any law and order problem like protests. The APSP has been kept stand-by for such a scenario.
The third layer is that of the Hyderabad city police which will be in direct contact with the public. Frisking and checking will be undertaken by them while a component from the City Security Wing (CSW) will take up anti-sabotage checks and access control. The traffic wing will regulate traffic in and around the Assembly premises. According to the sources, three SP-rank officers, five additional SPs, 15 DSPs, 22 inspectors, 60 sub-inspectors, 63 head constables and 185 constables are being drafted for the security. Besides, there are 27 armed platoons (including APSP’s) which means over 860 men and 100 women personnel.
‘’Compared to the previous sessions, this is the tightest security ever as the security component lies with the paramilitary forces,’’ an official said, adding that there was an addition of over 600 personnel this time.
Paramilitary forces, armed with INSAS and SLRs, have been asked to maintain utmost restraint in case there are violent protests. But at the same time, they have been asked to remain firm while dealing with violent situations. The reason why paramilitary forces have been assigned the outdoor cordon is that are from outside the state, mostly North Indian states, and do not run the ‘risk’ of being labelled anti-Telangana.
–Agencies