VIJAYAWADA: Expressing his displeasure with the government for not beefing the security despite the pleas he made in the three years of TDP rule, Gannavaram MLA Vallabhaneni Vamsi surrendered his two gunmen and pistol to Gannavaram police station on Tuesday. Vamsi said he had requested the police department and the State government allot him 2+2 security following a threat from Naxals in the past.
He also alleged that the police turned down his requests for changing the weapons given to his gunmen and increasing the security cover. For the past three months, Vamsi has been attending Inti Intiki Telugu Desam, a door-to-door campaign by Telugu Desam Party in his constituency without gunmen.
“Only his followers and close aides are accompanying him in all programmes and traveling with him in his car,” said a source close to Vamsi.
When asked why he took the hasty decision of surrendering the weapons and the security personals appointed by the State government despite threats from his rivals, the MLA said, “The weapon which they gave me is a hand pistol. I had requested for 2+2 security with Carbines. Moreover, when I visit villages, people get offended, as the security personnel try to control them and they fire the weapons while controlling them. That’s why I have surrendered them at the police station.”
He also said police took his licenced revolvers a few months ago and did not renew them till now.
“What pains me more is the police could not renew the licences of my personal weapons. I have no weapon with me now,” he added. However, intelligence chief A B Venkateswar Rao said that it was only a communication gap. He said changing weapons was not allowed and added that Security Recommendations Committee will take a decision on beefing up security cover to him.