Police restore escort to Karunas

RAMANATHAPURAM

A day after actor-turned-politician Karunas, representing Thiruvadanai Assembly constituency, alleged that he could not visit his constituency due to safety reasons, Superintendent of Police Omprakash Meena said the district police had restored escort to him and he was free to visit the constituency and meet the people.

Mr. Karunas, who had promised the voters ahead of the 2016 Assembly elections that he would stay back in Thiruvadanai to serve the people after getting elected, stopped visiting the constituency nearly a year ago and claimed here on Monday that he could not visit the constituency due to safety reasons, especially after the police withdrew the escort.

Asked about the remarks made by the MLA, the SP said Mr. Karunas had been provided an armed personal security guard and five-member police escort service, headed by a Sub-Inspector. In September last, the police withdrew the escort service after finding that Mr. Karunas faced no security threat and the police also did not receive any complaint about safety and security of the MLA, the SP said.

Mr. Karunas, however, continued to have the armed personal security guard whenever he visited the district, he said.

After the MLA alleged that he could not visit the constituency due to safety reasons, the district police decided to restore the escort service, the SP said.

On Mr. Karunas’ allegation that there was a conspiracy to stone his convoy during one of his visits and pit his ‘Mukkulathor Pulipadai’ against another group to instigate caste clashes in the constituency, Mr. Meena said they had not received any such complaint from him.