VIJAYAWADA: Security cover of former minister and TDP general secretary Nara Lokesh has been dropped from Y+ to X category, under which he will be given 1 + 1 security cover.
Stating that this is the second time the government reducing the security cover of Lokesh, the TDP accused the YSRC government of pursuing hate and paranoid politics against Opposition leaders and cadre.
Recalling that Lokesh was provided with 2+2 security cover during the Congress regime until 2014 in the combined AP, the TDP leaders said his security was enhanced to 4+4 later and the same was continued after he assumed charge as minister in 2017.
Maoist threat to his life was found in the form of a letter after the 2016 AOB encounter.Later, in 2018, Maoists gunned down MLA Kidari Sarveswara Rao and former MLA Siveri Soma.In view of threats from Maoists, Lokesh’s security cover was increased to Z category.
Alleging that the YSRC government unilaterally reduced the security cover of Lokesh to Y+ category from Z category without any review, the TDP leaders said that several security lapses took place with regard to Lokesh’s security in the past eight months and Lokesh has written eight letters to the government seeking to address the issue.