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Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa has told Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that state Director General of Police K Ramanujam was "rudely accosted and prevented" from approaching the PM’s aircraft by an Special Protection Group official during his visit to the state and demanded appropriate action against those responsible for it.
In a letter dated August 3, Jayalalithaa also suggested to Dr Singh that a suitable regimen be put in place so that "such lapses in protocol do not recur in future." The letter was released to the media on Sunday by the government.
Recalling the Prime Minister's visit to Puthukottai on Friday, where he launched two projects of central public sector unit BHEL at Thirumayam, Jayalalithaa said the state police head was part of a team deputed by her to receive Dr Singh at Tiruchirappally airport, the others being three of her Cabinet colleagues including state Finance Minister O Panneerselvam and the Tiruchirappally district collector.
She had been informed that at the airport, when the DGP was walking towards the ladder point of the aircraft to receive Dr Singh along with the ministers, "he was rudely accosted and prevented from approaching the aircraft by a lower level officer of the SPG, who was part of the security team on duty."
"This incident occurred despite the fact that the director general of police, Tamil Nadu, was in uniform. I am also informed that a detailed list of those who would receive Dr Singh at ladder point including the DGP had been sent and was duly confirmed by Prime Minister's Office on August 1,” the CM wrote.
“That such an outrageous incident involving the state DGP, who was part of the confirmed list of persons for the reception and send off line up approved by the PMO shows up the officers of SPG in very poor light," she said.
It was "most astonishing" that the SPG could not recognize the DGP, "the topmost ranking police officer in the state, even when he was in uniform", Jayalalithaa said.
She pointed out to Dr Singh that "it was the very same director general of police who was responsible for the elaborate security arrangements to ensure a peaceful, trouble free atmosphere during your visit to Tamil Nadu."
"I am constrained to bring this incident to your notice so that you could have the matter inquired into and take appropriate action against those responsible. I also suggest that a suitable regimen be put in place so that such lapses in protocol do not recur in future," she said.
Dr Singh had flown to Puthukottai in a helicopter from Tiruchirappally on Friday where he dedicated to the nation two projects of BHEL.