Hyderabad, July 25: He may be retiring from Government service in March 2010, but senior IPS officer AK Mohanty, who faces serious threat to his life from various quarters, appears to have begun ‘planning’ for his own security rather than depending on the State Government to look after him post-retirement.
Mohanty has recently obtained a gun licence for the period after retirement and is scouting for a weapon. Mohanty, who replaced SSP Yadav as the Director General of Police during the elections following his appointment by the Election Commission, has been freshly posted as Chairman, AP Road Safety Authority.
Police sources disclosed to ‘Express’ that Mohanty, following the normal procedure applicable to any individual, had submitted his request to the Home department about a month ago specifying why he needed a personal weapon.
‘‘He asked for an All-India Permit and the licence has been issued. This would be for his personal weapon,’’ sources said adding that as of now, he carries his service weapon – a revolver.
In his letter to the Home department, Mohanty is reported to have said that he faced threat from various quarters, some ‘expected’ and many ‘unexpected’. Mohanty, who falls in the high-risk category, presently has two Personal Security Officers (PSOs) moving with him. But once he retires, there is a likelihood of his security being withdrawn immediately.
‘‘Going by the developments in the last few months, the bullet-proof car in which he travels now, may also be withdrawn a few months after he retires,’’ sources said.
Mohanty is now scouting for a weapon which can ‘‘take care’’ of him post-retirement.
A 1975 batch officer, Mohanty served as Hyderabad Police Commissioner and as Additional DGP (Law and Order) before moving to the anti-terror outfit, Octopus. Though he was given an escort vehicle, which would travel with him, the senior IPS officer is said to have returned it saying ‘‘he would be content with two armed PSOs besides my own weapon.’’ In his earlier assignments, Mohanty succeeded in nabbing the terrorists behind the Task Force office blast in Begumpet besides many others linked to various fundamentalist and terror groups.
–Agencies–