Multi-layered security blanket to be in place from June 19 till the PM leaves city

Mysore/Mysuru: With Prime Minister Narendra Modi scheduled to visit Mysuru on Monday, June 20, a team of the Special Protection Group (SPG), along with top Police officials inspected a few locations where the PM will visit from the moment of his arrival till he departs.

A seven-member team headed by the Additional Inspector General (AIG) of the SPG visited the Mysore Palace along with the top brass of the City and District Police this morning. The names of the officers, however, have not been made public due to security reasons.

The team that arrived today will hold meetings and will give security guidelines at all the venues. Route in-charges will be assigned their duties and high-security cover will be in place in the city during the visit. The team will be in Mysuru till the PM leaves city.

Another team from the SPG comprising 20 members will arrive tomorrow and they will be soon joined by another 20 officers drawn from the SPG and National Security Guard (NSG) Commandos. In all, there will be 47 SPG-NSG officers holding fort in the PM’s security blanket apart from the highly professional and armed security men in black outfits who will accompany the PM.

Security meeting

As per the process, three days before the PM’s visit (like the one that happened today) the SPG holds a mandatory Advance Security Liaison (ASL) with everyone involved in securing the event, including SPG officials, Intelligence Bureau (IB) officials in the State, State Police officials, and the District Magistrate.

Accordingly, during the visit to the Palace this morning, the SPG team discussed the security aspects with City Police Commissioner Dr. Chandragupta, SP R. Chethan, DCP (Law and Order) Pradeep Gunti, DCP (Crime and Traffic) M.S. Geetha Prasanna, officers from Fire Services Department, food safety officers, MCC, MUDA officers, CESC, Horticulture and PWD officers.

Officials discussed the security of the venue which involves aspects such as entry and exit, frisking of those coming to the venue, and placing of door frame metal detectors. The structural stability of the dais is checked as well. Fire safety of the venue and weather reports and forecast were also audited.

Security chart

An elaborate security chart was brought by the SPG team and the local officers were asked to stick to the details, even the smallest ones, without any deviation in plans.

The team will visit other venues like the Mysore Airport, Hotel Radisson Blu Plaza, Chamundi Hill, Dasara Exhibition Grounds, Maharaja College Grounds and the All India Institute of Speech and Hearing.

Once all the 47 SPG team members land in Mysuru, all the venues that will see the presence of the PM will be taken under control and will be sanitised with the dog squad and bomb squad.

They will conduct anti-sabotage checks and secure the routes the PM will take. A contingency plan will be made in advance in case the weather is bad.