Jana Krishnamurthy's son wedding: tight security for PM visit

By T. S. Shankar and

S. Shivakumar

CHENNAI, OCT. 16. An impressive group of VVIPs led by the Prime Minister, Mr. A. B. Vajpayee, and the Home Minister, Mr. L. K. Advani, is airdashing on Wednesday night to attend the wedding of the BJP president, Mr. Jana Krishnamurthy's son at Hotel Dasaparakash in Central Chennai.

While Mr. Vajpayee is arriving by a special IAF Boeing from New Delhi along with some of his colleagues including Mr. Ananth Kumar and Mr. Vidyasagar Rao, Mr. L. K. Advani is landing here by a scheduled Indian Airlines night flight (IC-540) from New Delhi.

Sleuths of the Special Protection Group have taken control of the wedding venue in the densely populated Purasalwalkam area. The entire hotel has been checked by security personnel and a mini- police control room is also being set up there. Elaborate arrangements have been made to ensure a foolproof security mechanism.

The staff including cooks of the hotel have been screened and issued special identity cards. Apart from the outer and inner security, the catering wing is being supervised by security personnel. Regular traffic will be cut near the venue till the programme is over.

The special IAF flight is expected to land at Chennai airport around 9-30 p.m. on that day. After an overnight halt at the Raj Bhavan, the Prime Minister and his entourage will attend the wedding and leave thereafter. The PM's departure for the Capital has been so far kept at his convenience.

The State and Central intelligence officials are expressing serious concern over the venue as it is surrounded by several high-rise commercial and residential buildings.

Security has been beefed up on the old Meenambakkam airport complex and at the new terminal at Tirusoolam in view of the Prime Minister's visit.

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Section  : Southern States
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