Hours before the Rajya Sabha expected to debate on the contentious Telangana Bill on Wednesday, Central security agencies on Tuesday asked the Delhi Police to be on alert as they received an Intelligence input that disgruntled elements may try to harm the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) leader and former Union Minister Kalvakuntla Chandrasekhara Rao.
Earlier, a TRS functionary had informed Delhi Police to ensure the safety and security of Rao as threat to TRS president’s life has heightened following the creation of Telangana. Security agencies have also warned that some activists of pro-Telangana and those against bifurcations of Andhra Pradesh may resort to self-immolation; hence arrangements should be in place to prevent such occurrences that can ignite passions.
Police sources said that one of the senior party leaders of TRS on Tuesday called the senior officer of New Delhi district and informed them that there is a strong possibility that some anti-national elements may exploit the rush of TRS supporters and target Rao. Interestingly, few hours after his call, the security agencies asked Delhi Police to tighten the security outside the residence of Rao as his life is in danger. “After receiving the inputs, security agencies are now constantly reviewing arrangements and the localities around the residence of Rao have been sanitised. All the informers have been deployed to keep a check on any movement of anti-national elements,” police sources added.
Meanwhile, one of the Telangana supporters tried to immolate himself outside the residence of TRS leader Rao in Tughlak Road. But luckily police personnel caught him and he was later taken to Tughlak Road police station where they released him some hours later.