Intelligence Security Wing (ISW) officials, after a review of Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy’s security arrangements, are likely to add three new land cruiser vehicles — purchased and bullet-proofed by the previous government — to his convoy.
It was found that the BRS government, before the polls, had purchased more than 10 land cruisers and got them bullet-proofed in Andhra Pradesh, for former chief minister K. Chandrashekar Rao.
But, with a regime change, Revanth Reddy opted for fewer vehicles and only directed officials to paint them black.
ISW chief Tafseer Iqbal informed the Chief Minister that the new vehicles were ready for use before the Congress government took office. Despite Revanth
Reddy insisting on maintaining a low profile, ISW officials suggested the addition of three cars for security purposes.
"The remaining vehicles which were also bullet-proofed will be utilise for the VVIP movement in Telangana. The ISW will also send such vehicles to districts during the Chief Minister's visits," an ISW official said.
Officials said that the company that did the bullet-proofing, Trihayani Engineering Works in Veerapanenigudem of Krishna district in Andhra Pradesh, is a vastly experienced unit in designing bullet-proof vehicles for VVIP convoys, with its clientele including the state governments of Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Odisha and Karnataka, among others.