Early morning visit to Thiruvananthapuram's famous snack shop; NSA Doval's video goes viral

National Security Advisor Ajit Doval’s Thiruvananthapuram visit became news only days after he surreptitiously roamed around the city in broad daylight. It was during 22 and 23rd of January that Doval visited VSSC Thumba to enquire about the successive failures in space missions. Doval conducted confidential meeting with scientists at the venue. The preparation and the visit were deftly planned such that even the VSSC employees were not notified about it. It is said that Doval made his visit to Thiruvananthapuram upon instruction from Prime Minister Modi.

At 8 am on one of the days of his visit, Doval took some time to arrive at Pazhavangadi junction to visit the famous eatery 'Maha Chips'. The CCTV visuals of Doval with an entourage of security personnel walking inside the shop are now going viral. The early morning visit might have been made to avoid the rush and the possibility of getting recognised.

Pazhavangadi junction is one of the most vibrant shopping destinations in Thiruvananthapuram, with crowds expected almost at all hours. The shop owners said that Doval returned after buying snacks and other sweets. The NSA even had a brief interaction with other customers in the shop after a few of them recognised him.

‘Maha chips’ is one of the most famous local brands in Thiruvananthapuram, owned by Nagercoil native Vijayakumar. The story behind the birth of the shop is inspiring, nevertheless. Vijayakumar started as a street vendor during his teens, roaming around Kerala’s capital city selling crunchy chips and other snacks. It was through persistence, hard work and ambition that he built an empire which now remains unrivalled in the capital city.