NEW DELHI: The Union Ministry of Home Affairs accorded and upgraded the security drill of Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama on Thursday after receiving a threat assessment report from the Intelligence Bureau (IB).
For many years, intelligence reports have indicated a potential threat to the spiritual leader’s life from various sources, including China-backed groups.
According to sources Dalai Lama has been accorded Z-category security, as he would get a total of 33 security staff in Himachal Pradesh’s Dharamshala and outside. Under the security cover category the spiritual leader would be protected by the CRPF commandos in all parts of the country, they added.
Dalai Lama, till now, remained under the protection of the Himachal Pradesh Police and other security agencies, but the MHA has now assigned the task to the CRPF to ensure a more coordinated and robust protection plan, the sources said.
Dalai Lama is a globally respected figure and the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism. He has been residing in India since 1959 after fleeing Tibet following the Chinese occupation.
Many in the country’s intelligence and security establishment believe that given Dalali Lama’s status and the complex geopolitical tensions surrounding Tibet, his security has been a key concern for Indian authorities.
Under the Z-category security protocol, the Dalai Lama will be protected by a dedicated team of CRPF commandos, along with an escort and close-protection officers during his travels within the country.
Dalai Lama’s presence in India has been a sensitive issue in Sino-Indian relations. While India officially considers Tibet an autonomous region of China, it has continued to provide a home to the spiritual leader and his followers. Over the years, Chinese authorities have repeatedly criticised his global engagements, viewing them as a challenge to their control over Tibet.
The government’s move also reflects India’s proactive approach to securing high-profile individuals who may face security threats.
Meanwhile, in a similar decision the MHA has also accorded Z-category security to BJP leader Sambit Patra in Manipur, sources said.
The 50-year-old Puri MP, who oversees the party’s affairs in the troubled state, has been given this protection amid ongoing ethnic violence that has been continuing for nearly two years.