Chennai: Private guards took guard at the Poes Garden residence of the late Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa while the City Police revoked its deployment on the avenues leading to Poes Garden soon after AIADMK general secretary VK Sasikala left for the prison in Bengaluru on Wednesday afternoon.
On Sasikala’s departure, the existing security personnel were taken off duty. Subsequently, a few Armed Reserve Police constables led by a sub-Inspector level officer were posted in order to prevent any untoward incident. The earlier cover had a Deputy Commissioner (DC) level officer assisted by four Additional Deputy Commissioners (ADCs) monitoring the deployment.
Following the demise of Jayalalithaa, the security cover at her residence remained since the people from all over the State were visiting Veda Nilayam to get a glimpse of where the former CM used to live before heading to her memorial in Marina Beach.
Buckling to the demand of the Leader of the Opposition and DMK working president MK Stalin, the City Police scaled down the strength of the TSP and the local police drawn from various City Police stations late in December. His contention was that no one with any constitutional position or falling under the high risk category was residing in Poes Garden. The strength was downsized to about 50 from 240 on those who were guarding the area after private security personnel were posted at Veda Nilayam.
Cops earlier reinstated the security cover when Sasikala was elected as the AIADMK Legislature Party leader replacing the incumbent O. Panneerselvam on February 5 before it was again scaled down on her departure.
