Breach in Odisha CM’s security: ACP, ASI suspended

Reported by Santosh Jagdev

Bhubaneswar, Feb 20:

As anticipated, heads have begun to  roll for the serious breach in Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s security here yesterday.

Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) in charge of the Kharavela Nagar zone SK Sarifuddin and Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) of Kharvela Nagar police station PK Sahu have been suspended for dereliction of duty, Twin city Commissioner of Police (CP) Dr RP Sharma revealed here this afternoon after a high level meeting chaired by Director General of Police (DGP) Sanjiv Marik to take stock of the Chief Minister’s security in the wake of the breach in his security yesterday.

A group of Youth Congress activists had broken the security cordon, pelted eggs and showed black flags at Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s convoy near Keshari Talkies while he was on his way to attend the students’ union function at Utkal University yesterday evening.

Talking to media persons after the meeting, DGP Sanjiv Marik admitted that there was a security lapse on the part of the Commissionerate police.

“We had got intelligence input at around 2 pm that some miscreants were planning to throw eggs and would show black flag at the Chief Minister’s convoy. Clearly, there was negligence on the part of some police personnel on duty, which led to this security lapse yesterday,” the DGP said.

“I had asked for a detailed  report from the Commissioner of Police and Director, Intelligence on the security lapse. I reviewed the report and have sent a recommendation to the Home Department suggesting disciplinary action against those responsible officers for breach of security during Chief Minister’s convoy,” Marik said.

As per the findings and review coming out on security lapses, corrective measures will be taken in whole security system of the VVIP carcade, the DGP said.

The meeting was attended by ADG Intelligence Sunil Roy, Commissioner Dr Sharma, IG Operations Soumendra Priyadarshi and Additional Commissioner of Police PS Ranpise.

Meanwhile, police have started a vigorous search to nab the miscreants involved in yesterday’s incident.

Seven youth Congress supporters have already been in the case, but commissionerate police have refused to provide the identity of the accused.