JAIPUR: Indian Olympian and Congress MLA from Rajasthan, Krishna Poonia has been provided with Z category security. Based on information from the Crime Investigation Department (CID), the Gehlot government has decided to provide this category protection to Poonia due to a perceived threat of life.
On the directive of the state government, the Superintendent of Police of Churu, Tejashwini Gautam has issued detailed instructions whereby 35 policemen including 2 SIs ( Sub Inspectors ) will be deployed for Poonia’s security. An MLA from Sadulpur in Churu, Krishna Poonia has become the second legislator who is currently getting Z security in Rajasthan – Deputy CM, Sachin Pilot is the other Congress MLA who is getting this category of protection.
In giving her security Round the Clock, the 35 policemen deployed will include 10 armed security guards who will be posted at Krishna Poonia's residence, 6 PSOs, 3 drivers, 2 Watchmen. Her husband Virendra Poonia, a Dronacharya Coach, has also been provided with 2 security guards given the information that the MLA faces a danger to life.
All the cops, including 2 SIs who will be posted for her security reached Krishna Poonia's residence on Saturday evening. The salary of the contingent security guards deployed will amount to about 16.5 lakhs a month and given the expenses on the security cars being provided to the MLA, the total cost of this enhanced protection will be about 20 lakhs a month.
There is much speculation about why the MLA from Sadulpur is suddenly being given such high grade security. It is worth recalling that in the last few weeks, Krishna Poonia's name had surfaced in connection with the suicide of Vishnudutt Vishnoi, the SHO of Rajgarh which is Poonia's constituency. In the suicide note, the SHO had alleged that there was pressure.
After this, the BJP had alleged that Krishna Poonia had exerted undue pressure on the SHO; Poonia’s alleged pressure had also been mentioned in a WhatsApp chat that had gone viral after the SHO suicide. That case is now being probed by the CBI.
More recently, the Facebook page created in the name of Lawrence Vishnoi, a well-known gangster of Haryan had issued an un-named threat. It had said that those behind the death of SHO Vishnudutt Vishnoi should now be prepared to face the consequences. Many say this was an indirect reference to Krishna Poonia though the MLA was not named.
In a brief comment on the security being given to her, Krishna Poonia remarked, “I have not received any threats on my phone. But on the basis of inputs from the CID, the state government has given me this Z category protection.’’