MHA orders review of VIP security after attack on Farooq Abdullah

New Delhi, Mar 13: The Union home ministry will undertake a comprehensive security audit of all VIPs under the central security cover in the wake of the assassination bid on former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah, officials said on Friday.

The decision to hold the review next week was taken in a meeting chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, Home Secretary Govind Mohan, Intelligence Bureau (IB) Director Tapan Deka and senior officials from the VIP security wing of the MHA, they said.

A security cover to such VIPs is provided by central paramilitary forces like the CRPF, CISF, NSG, and ITBP.

Officials said the review will also be relevant because assembly polls in five states — Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Puducherry — are taking place soon, requiring a host of political VIPs to travel across these regions.

There are about 400 VIPs in various security categories under the central list, which includes about 220 with the CRPF, 156 with the CISF, nine with the NSG and a few with the ITBP.

PTI reported on Thursday that the National Security Guard (NSG) will undertake such a review for its protectees.

NSG provides Abdullah with the top-category Z-plus security cover.

The National Security Guard (NSG) will undertake a comprehensive security audit of all its Z-plus category high-risk VIPs following the assassination attempt on former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah, officials said on Thursday.

The ‘Black Cats’ commando force currently provides elite protection to nine VIPs, including Abdullah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu.

Under standard operating procedures, the force provides mobile security during transit and deploys a specialised Close Protection Team (CPT) of four commandos when a dignitary is inside an indoor venue, such as a banquet hall or convention centre.

The officials had told PTI that it is standard procedure to review or audit security measures whenever an “extraordinary incident” involves an NSG protectee.

“The security audit process will be initiated. While the NSG is tasked with the immediate safety of the protectee, it remains the responsibility of local police and other agencies to sanitise the venue and ensure no armed individuals gain entry,” an official said.

Once the audit is finalised, the NSG will communicate its findings and highlight potential lapses to the relevant local police authorities.