: As many as 46 Personal Security Officers (PSOs) have been deployed for VIPs, including Ministers, MLAs, MPs and administrative officers, Minister of State for Home Tusharkanti Behera told the State Assembly on Monday.
In a written reply to a question of BJD MLA Soumya Ranjan Patnaik, the Minister said. Besides, another 249 PSOs have been provided to Ministers, MPs, MLAS and administrative officers by the concerned district administrations as per orders issued by the State Government in different times, he said.
Replying to a question of Congress MLA Narasingha Mishra on the same issue, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said 1,279 police personnel of different ranks from districts/ battalions/ establishments have been specially trained in different training centres to work as PSOs for MLAs, MPs, Ministers, Chief Minister, Governor, IAS and IPS officers and also Central Ministers and other VIPs during their tour to Odisha.
Notably, the then Health Minister Naba Kisore Das was killed by a policeman on January 29 in the presence of his PSO. The incident has raised questions on the capability of the PSOs to provide security to the VIPs.