NEW DELHI: The Centre has withdrawn the VIP security of Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister O. Paneerselvam and Dravida Munnetra Kazhgam (DMK) leader M. K. Stalin, officials said on Thursday.
Paneerselvam had "Y+" category security cover while Stalin had a "Z+" protection being provided by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) -- a paramilitary force mandated to provide VIP security as well as internal security across the country along with hyper sensitive areas such as Maoist-affected states and Jammu and Kashmir.
The government took the decision to remove the security cover of the two politicians following the threat assessment review based on Central security agencies report and approved by the Union Home Ministry, said the officials.
The CRPF were providing security to the two leaders of Tamil Nadu and it is learnt that the paramilitary forces' cover of the two leaders were withdrawn after the state police took over the charge of providing protection to them.
In November last year, the Special Protection Group (SPG) cover given to Gandhis was withdrawn and they were given 'Z plus' security provided by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).
The SPG security was withdrawn from the New Delhi residences of Sonia, her son Rahul and daughter Priyanka.
The Gandhi family had been enjoying the SPG cover since the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi on May 21, 1991.
The decision to withdraw SPG security, the country's highest grade of protection, was taken after a review involving the Cabinet Secretariat and the Ministry of Home Affairs with inputs from various intelligence agencies.