Kidari Sravan meets SP, seeks security

Former MLA Kidari Sravan Kumar on Friday met Superintendent of Police Attada Babujee in Visakhapatnam submitting a representation for reinstatement of his personal security, which was removed recently.

Mr. Sravan is the son of Kidari Sarveswara Rao, an MLA from Araku, who along with another TDP leader Siveri Soma was shot dead by Maoists on September 23, 2018 near Livitiputtu village of Dumbriguda mandal in Visakhapatnam Agency.

After his father’s death, Mr. Sravan was inducted into N. Chandrababu Naidu’s Cabinet as Minister of Health and Tribal Welfare.

In his representation to Mr. Babujee, Mr. Sravan claimed that he was on the hit list of the Maoists, and that there was a continuing threat to him and his family members from the left-wing extremists.

“Despite facing life threats, the State Government has removed by security,” he said.

Immediately after the assassination of his father, the TDP government enhanced Mr. Sravan’s security and provided him Octopus cover, which is considered an elite anti-terrorist outfit. He was also provided a bullet-proof vehicle.

After the TDP lost the Assembly elections in 2019, Mr. Sravan said that the Octopus cover was withdrawn and his security gradually reduced from 17 personnel to just eight. Later, the security cover was brought down to four personnel and finally it was completely removed, he said, with the government reportedly citing that he faced no further threats to his life.

After receiving the representation, the SP reportedly assured Mr. Sravan that he would inform his higher-ups of the matter. Mr. Sravan lives in Paderu and stays at MVP Colony in Visakhapatnam when he visits the city.