RAMANATHAPURAM
Special Protection Group (SPG), an elite Central armed force, has taken over security at the helipad, public meeting venue at Mandapam and the memorial of former President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam at Pei Karumbu near Rameswaram three days ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s scheduled visit to the island.
As Mr. Modi is scheduled to arrive here to dedicate to the nation the memorial for Kalam, built by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), on July 27, coinciding with Kalam’s second death anniversary, and address a public meeting, the SPG team, which provides proximate security to the Prime Minister, has brought the venues under its security cover.
Official and police sources said Sharma, Deputy Inspector General (DIG), SPG, who arrived here on Monday, heading a 23-member team, inspected the three places along with Collector S. Natarajan and DIG (South Zone) Pradip Kumar before posting his men at the venues.
DIG (Intelligence) J. Nirmal Kumar, Superintendent of Police Omprakash Meena, SP (Special Branch) T.P. Suresh Kumar and officials from all security agencies were present during the inspection.
Later, Mr. Sharma, accompanied by his colleagues, including two Assistant Inspector Generals (AIGs), discussed the arrangements with the district administration, senior police officials and the heads of all security agencies at the community hall near the memorial. DRDO and Press Information Bureau (PIB) officials were also present in the meeting.
The police had initially finalised the open ground near the helipad as the venue for the public meeting, but shifted it to the sprawling open space near Indian Coast Guard (ICG) residential quarters at Mandapam, the sources said.
According to the tentative programme, Mr. Modi would hoist the national flag in front of Kalam memorial before inaugurating and dedicating the memorial to the nation, the sources said.
Tamil Nadu Governor Ch. Vidyasagar Rao and Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami are expected to accompany the Prime Minister in helicopter from Madurai, the sources added.