Chennai: With the US consulate becoming the latest ‘attraction’ as a venue for pro Tamil groups and political outfits to stage protests, the police have beefed up security at the mission near Anna flyover.
An assistant commissioner is in charge of security and nearly 100 police personnel will be on related duties in three shifts in and around the mission on a 24X7 basis. At least 12 patrol vehicles are deployed on various roads leading to the Anna flyover, Men have been deployed on the Anna flyover while more barricades and uniformed persons are to be seen around the consulate building.
The headache for the Chennai police began after the United States changed its long standing view that an international probe should be held into the alleged war crimes committed by Sri Lankan government during the final stages of the island's civil war in 2009 and decided to sponsor a resolution on Sri Lanka in September at the United Nations Human Rights Council backing Colombo's plans for reconciliation and to conduct its own investigation into possible war crimes.
Four outfits- two students' organisations and two political parties - had either staged or tried to stage a protest last week in front of the US consulate situated in a central location. The agitators were demanding that the US stick to its earlier stand of there being an international probe into the war crimes that took place in Sri Lanka.
"Security will be in place always. But we would increase the vigil when some kind of protest is expected," a senior police officer explained.
At least three pro-Tamil groups have announced protests against the US for its changed stand on Sri Lankan war crimes. Though the protests are scheduled in Valluvarkottam, the police would make sure that the US mission is well guarded.
It may be recalled that a protest by Muslim outfits against a controversial American movie in September 2012 went out of control and the city police was blamed for inaction. The incident had even led to the city police chief being changed.
