New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party Tamil Nadu unit president K Annamalai has been given Y security in the wake of heightened threat perception by the Ministry of Home Affairs while he is aggressively seen working to raise the footprint of the party in the state.
The "Singham" fame former IPS officer is allegedly facing threats from Maoists and religious extremists.
The Union Home Ministry on Saturday ordered the 'Y' security by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) for Annamalai. The move has come on the back of three petrol bombs having been hurled at the party's headquarters in Chennai in February this year.
"The CRPF is requested to provide 'Y' category security cover to K Annamalai in Tamil Nadu, over and above the security cover provided to him by the State Police, till further review, under intimation to this ministry," an official statement read.
As many as three petrol bombs were hurled at the Tamil Nadu BJP headquarters 'Kamalalayam' at T Nagar in Chennai in February this year. Annamalai had demanded that the National Investigation Agency (NIA) should probe the incidents of throwing bombs, besides alleging a larger conspiracy.
The BJP leader Karate Thiagarajan had blamed the Tamil Nadu government for the alleged bomb attack at the state party office.
Annamalai, the policeman-turned-politician took charge of the BJP's Tamil Nadu unit in July 2021. A former IPS officer from Karnataka cadre, he joined the BJP in August 2020 after quitting civil services.
Notably, Annamalai was also given 'Y' security last year following the threats to his life by religious extremists when he was serving as the vice-president of the Tamil Nadu BJP unit.
He also earned praises from the BJP top brass after taking the party to a credible performance in this year's civic polls. Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) swept the Tamil Nadu civic polls in February 2022. However, the BJP managed to increase its vote share in the state and bagged an important seat in Chennai Corporation.
