YS Jagan Attack: Vizag Airport Chief Security Officer Transferred

Visakhapatnam:The Airports Authority of India (AAI) is learnt to have transferred the Visakhapatnam airport chief security officer Venugopal, to Chennai, following the attack on the life of Leader of opposition in Andhra Pradesh legislative assembly, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on October 25 in the VIP lounge of the airport. It may be recalled that the security wing of the airport came under a cloud following the murder attempt and there were allegations of laxity on the part of Venugopal.

The Andhra Pradesh government and the State police beginning with AP DGP’s statement immediately after the murderous attack appeared to be proceeding with the investigation in a lackadaisical manner. The Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted to probe the murder attempt, has so far not explored the conspiracy angle with any measure of seriousness, it appears.

The Central government agencies, AAI and Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), on the other hand, seem to be keen on inquiring into the sensational murder attempt with a sense of determination to get to the truth.

The transfer orders issued by the AAI, to the chief security officer at Vizag airport, Venugopal on Saturday, are being seen in this light.  His role is now likely to come under the scanner, particularly in view of the fact that it was on his orders that the YSR Congress party president was denied permission for coffee to be brought by his own team. Venugopal had reportedly insisted about two weeks before the attack took place that coffee from the airport restaurant should be served to the Leader of Opposition in Andhra Pradesh assembly.  What was the motivation behind these instructions when, it is learnt that Chandrababu‘s son and minister, Nara Lokesh, local MLA and TDP minister Ganta Srinivasa Rao, among others are said to bring their own food or beverages into the lounge?  The CISF is learnt to be keen on questioning Venugopal on some of these aspects, as also the reason why he ran after the attacker, Srinivasa Rao, instead of standing next to the AP Leader of Opposition. CCTV footage is also reportedly being studied in this respect and related dimensions.

Twice in the past, transfer orders had been issued to Venugopal, it is learnt, but on both occasions, he is said to have managed to get them reversed to continue in Vizag. Venugopal, the chief security officer under transfer to Chennai, was reportedly close to Harshavardhan Prasad Chaudhary, the owner of the restaurant, Fusion Foods at Visakhapatnam airport.

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