High security at Nilgiris for TN Governor

Chennai: The Tamil Nadu Police have beefed up the security in the Nilgiris as Governor R.N. Ravi is at the Raj Bhavan in Nilgiris to attend a two-day conference of the University Vice-Chancellors to be held on April 25 and 26.

Several political parties, including the ruling DMK and its allies are on a confrontation path with the Tamil Nadu Governor, who is yet to forward the Bill passed by the state Assembly seeking exemption for the Tamil Nadu students to appear in NEET exam to the President of India.

The protest against the Governor at Myladuthurai on April 19 had turned violent with the DMK ally Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), the ideological body of the DMK, the Dravidar Kazhagam (DK), and the Left parties resorting to black flag demonstrations. The incident led to criticism from the opposition AIADMK and the BJP. State BJP president K. Annamalai shot off a letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah to ensure security for the Governor.

The Tamil Nadu government and the state home department do not want any repeat of such a security lapse or intelligence failure in Nilgiris and, hence the heavy security deployment around the Raj Bhavan.

Sources in the state police told IANS that the security is being monitored by an officer in the rank of Additional Director General of Police and have two Deputy Inspector Generals and three Superintendents of Police leading the security ring. Police officers said that more than 500 policemen, including Deputy Superintendents and Inspectors are also deployed other than the constabulary to provide security to the Governor.

While the DMK wanted to convey the message that it is not happy with the Governor over the NEET issue, it does not want to get flak over the security failure to the most important person in the state and has provided heavy security.

Governor R.N. Ravi reached Nilgiris on Saturday landing at Coimbatore airport from the airport and a heavy police force was found on both sides of the road providing security to him. He will leave Nilgiris on Tuesday for Chennai after attending the two-day Vice Chancellor's conference.