RS Praveen Kumar Questions Removal of Bulletproof Vehicles

Hyderabad: BRS leader and former IPS officer R.S. Praveen Kumar on Tuesday said the party would move the court over the withdrawal of bulletproof vehicles provided to certain leaders.

Speaking to the media after meeting BRS leader Peddi Sudarshan Reddy, Praveen Kumar alleged that Sudarshan Reddy had suffered a heart attack after undergoing immense stress due to alleged harassment by the Congress government.

He claimed that Sudarshan Reddy was targeted for exposing alleged irregularities in the Civil Supplies and School Education departments with documentary evidence. Praveen Kumar also alleged that Sudarshan Reddy's weapon licence had been cancelled.

Questioning the state government's decision on security vehicles, Praveen Kumar said ministers in states such as Kerala, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Odisha and Tamil Nadu do not use bulletproof vehicles. Citing a statement attributed to the Telangana Director General of Police (DGP), he said the "Centre had declared that Left-Wing Extremism had been effectively eliminated, with underground Maoist cadres either surrendering, being arrested or neutralised. Telangana emerged as a Naxal-free state, with no active underground Maoist leaders or cadres operating within its borders."

In view of this, Praveen Kumar questioned why ministers, government whips, senior Congress leaders and some police officers continued to be provided with bulletproof vehicles. He said the BRS would challenge the issue legally and move the court.

"After the High Court ordered the removal of Ranganath, Chief Minister Revanth Reddy said it was the government's right to decide who should be appointed to which post. Likewise, when we faced security threats, we approached the courts, asserting that it was the government's responsibility to protect us. We are not going to keep quiet if our lives are put at risk in the name of the SRC, " R.S. Praveen Kumar said.