The Union Home Ministry has decided to take over the security cover of RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, a high threat category protectee with Z+ protection that was being provided so far by the Maharashtra Police. The move comes after a review of his threat assessment and Intelligence inputs suggesting heightened danger to Bhagwat, a high profile leader with frequent visit to length and breadth of the country.
The Centre has directed the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) to take over the security of Bhagwat as well as the headquarters of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) at Nagpur, Union Home Ministry sources said. The Central paramilitary force is conducting a security audit of the RSS headquarters and assessing the security requirements of Bhagwat. It will soon take over the entire security cover of organisation and its chief, the sources said.
An estimated two companies are likely to be deployed at the Sangh premises in Nagpur and provide mobile security cover to Bhagwat during his movement across the country. This apart, bullet-proof cars and jammer-enabled vehicles are also likely to be deployed in his cavalcade while movement in certain sensitive areas of the country.
CISF is the designated paramilitary force of the Centre to provide security cover to the VIPs and its specially trained units under the Special Security Group provide cover to the designated persons. The paramilitary is also the designated force for securing the vital and strategic installations including space and test and launch facilities, airports, seaports and key Government laboratories related to high-end research in the areas of space and nuclear science applications besides some public sector undertakings like the Delhi Metro and Coal India mines. The CISF that is mandated to protect individuals and installations is providing security cover to over 50 VIPs. The CISF had earlier sought 4,000 dedicated personnel exclusively for VIP security duties. Presently, about 1,500 CISF personnel are engaged in such duties.