CM’S SECURITY TEAM WAS FIRST TO SPOT THE POWDER WRAPPED IN PAPER

It was chief minister Yogi Adityanath’s security team that first spotted the explosive hidden beneath the cushion of third seat to the left of leader of opposition Ram Govind Chaudhary’s seat in the state assembly here on Wednesday. In all three security teams – anti-mining squad of the PAC, bomb disposal squad of the GRP and chief minister’s security team - were carrying out the mandatory security drill in the majestic Vidhan Sabha Hall a bit before 9am on Wednesday. They carry out the security search operations between 8 am to 9am every day when the assembly is in session. The business of the house, whose budget session began on Tuesday, starts sharp at 11am. As the issue concerned the security of the assembly, most of senior officers preferred to remain tightlipped. An employee of the assembly, however, said “This seat is not reserved for any leader. A senior Samajwadi Party and former minister usually sits there and next to this is the seat occupied by a BSP leader.” The Vidhan Sabha hall remains under the security of assembly’s Marshals. An assistant marshal had accompanied the security teams for security search. The dog squad that is used by the security personnel to carry out search to sanitise the area could not detect the explosive. The explosive, now identified as PETN, was kept in a folded piece of paper and looked like dry sugar. Soon after the incident was brought to the notice of assembly administration, the powder was sent for test in a forensic laboratory and the lab report has confirmed it being PETN. Hectic activity was witnessed in the corridors of power after that. A high level meeting was held on Thursday evening. The chief minister reviewed the situation and later on Friday morning called an all-party meeting to discuss the issue with leaders of all parties. After the all-party meeting, the chief minister made a statement in the house expressing his concern on the security situation in the state assembly and announced probe by NIA into the whole issue.