PM's security lapse; police officials transferred

Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 11 (UNI) The Kerala government has decided to transfer two top police officials in connection with the recent security lapse during Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to the state.

After a meeting with state Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan told reporters here that Inspector General (Security) P Chandrasekharan and Thiruvananthapuram City Police Commissioner Manoj Abraham would be tranferred and posted as the IG (Vigilance) and the Crime Branch Superintendent respectively.

While Mr S M Vijayanand, IG, Vigilance, would be the new IG of Security, Mr K Padmakumar, currently holding the post of DIG (Central range), would be the new Thiruvananthapuram City Police Commissioner.

Justifying the removal of Mr Abraham from the City Police Commissioner's post, Mr Achuthanandan said the government wanted a police officer of the DIG rank as the City police commissioner.

Earlier, Mr Balachandran, a sub-inspector with the AR camp was placed under suspension and a departmental inquiry has been ordered into the deviation of the pilot vehicle of the PM's motorcade.

The Chief Minister said the government would take all precautionary measures so that such security lapses did not happen in future.

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