Government of Chhattisgarh in an order has downgraded security of former chief minister Raman Singh and his family members, while it retained status of few others and upgraded security of leaders based in Maoist-affected Bastar.

According to information received from Home department, as per the protection review carried out by the state government and its recommendation, Z+ security of Raman Singh and his son former Rajnandgaon MP Abhishek Singh has been reduced to Z type, while Raman’s wife Veena Singh’s has been reduced to Y+ from Z, X-category security to Raman’s daughter-in-law Aishwarya and daughter Dr Asmita Gupta has been withdrawn.

Similarly, Y+ security category has been given to union minister of state for tribal affairs Renuka Singh, ex Kanker MLA Sumitra Markole, Kanker ex-MLA Sewak Ram Netam, Bhanupratappur ex-MLA Brahmanand Netam while Y category has been retained for urban development minister Shivkumar Dahariya and former BJP minister Brijmohan Agrawal.

Z category has been retained for ex-minister Ganeshram Bhagat, Chitrakote ex-MLA Lachchuram Kashyap and Baiduram Kashyap. Additional to it, Security category of Bindranavagarh ex-MLA Goverdhan Manjhi has been reduced from Z to Y+, Sihawa ex-MLA Pinki Shivraj Shah from Y+ to Y category and ex-DGP A.N. Upadhayay’s from Y to X category.

State government has  provided Z category security cover to newly elected Chitrakote MLA Rajman Venjam. Bindranawagarh MLA Damdrudhar Pujari got Y+ security while MLA Mahasamund Chunni Lal Sahu and Dongargaon MLA Daleshwar Sahu hve been  provided Y category security cover. Bijapur Zila Panchayat chairman Jamuna Sankani got Y+ cover and Maraiguda, Sukma Sarpanch Hapka Mara has been provided X category cover and their threat perception will be reviewed in upcoming PRG meeting.

The request of ex-Marwahi MLA Amit Jogi for security has been rejected.