BHUBANESWAR: BJD supremo and Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik’s security has been revised from Z-plus to Y-plus category, sources in the government said amidst controversy over the downgrading.
In its last meeting, the state-level security committee decided to make a fresh review of the threat perception of the VIPs following which the former CM’s security detail was revised.
Naveen now has been given 21 personnel which includes deployment at the barracks at the Naveen Nivas and personal security officers (PSOs). For each of the three shifts, a team of one havildar and four constables has been sanctioned, taking the total strength to 15. Similarly, the former CM will have two PSOs in each of the three shifts of the day. Besides, he will have escort patrol and necessary deployment of senior officers during important public outings.
“Earlier, Naveen’s carcade security was provided by the Commissionerate Police. A total of about 200 police personnel including 40 for the carcade were deployed for his security,” said police sources. The deployment at Naveen Nivas used to be made by the Special Security Battalion.
It will be the prerogative of the LoP’s office if he opts to rearrange the deployment to engage more personnel in a particular shift from the available sanction.
The state government has also removed the security of Naveen’s close aide VK Pandian, senior IPS officer DS Kutey, former WODC chairman Asit Tripathy. “The security review is a routine process which is assessed every three months and the deployment is sanctioned based on the threat perception,” said a senior police officer.