As the postmortem of lapses on part of the police that made the Chief Minister’s car an easy target continues, multiple failures of the security arrangements are getting revealed one by one. Apart from the much talked about Intelligence failure, the grave slips committed at the spot of the incident also raise some tough questions.
In a latest revelation, a Special Branch officer, on condition on anonymity, said that the Quick Response Team (QRT) members, who should have created a protective cover around the CM’s car once it stopped at the traffic circle near the Police Club here, were reluctant to get down from their vehicle even after a higher officer asked them to.
A report on the security lapses including this has been submitted to the authorities by the district wing of the State Special Branch. The report also noted that the convoy got stuck twice in traffic near the Collectorate, as the road was not cleared.
According to eyewitnesses present at the Police Club where the Chief Minister’s convoy came under attack, a trial run conducted half an hour before the Chief Minister’s arrival had revealed the vulnerability of the security cover.
The LDF protesters were able to break the police line-up when the trial run took place, they pointed out.
When the barricade was partially opened to make way for the convoy, a police officer was accidentally caught in front of a speeding police van. The walkie-talkie slipped from his hands right in front of the police van, the first vehicle of the convoy.
In a bid to avert an accident, the van driver applied brakes and the convoy stopped briefly, giving enough time for the attackers to target the cars.
Many say the discontent among the police force in district as a possible reason that led to the lack of coordination and the security mix-up that brought shame on the entire force.
The District Police Cooperative Society meeting on October 5 that ended in a scuffle had revealed the deep-rooted party rivalry that crept into the force in the district. Over 25 police personnel had been suspended in connection with the ruckus.
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