State prunes security of 46 leaders, aides

CHANDIGARH: The Punjab Police have started pruning the security cover of VVIPs beginning with MPs and MLAs and their special officers even as a report by the committee formed for the purpose is to be submitted on March 24. In the first list of downsizing of security, the state police withdrew security men from 46 MPs, MLAs and their aides.

Jupinderjit Singh

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 22

The Punjab Police have started pruning the security cover of VVIPs beginning with MPs and MLAs and their special officers even as a report by the committee formed for the purpose is to be submitted on March 24.

In the first list of downsizing of security, the state police withdrew security men from 46 MPs, MLAs and their aides.

Barring parliamentarians — Bhagwant Mann (Aam Aadmi Party) Ambika Soni (Congress) and Chaudhary Santokh Singh (Congress) — all other VIPs who have lost extra security cover belong to either the Akali Dal or the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The personnel thus relieved have been told to report to their battalions concerned for redeployment.

Additional vehicles given to the VIPs have also been withdrawn. The government has, however, retained two bulletproof Land Cruisers with former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal.

It has been revealed that most leaders were availing more security than the prescribed norm of two to six guards as per the position of the leader concerned. Some were even allocated seven to eight times more security personnel than the prescribed limit.

Former Akali Minister Sikander Singh Maluka tops the list. There were 31 guards in his security. Twenty five of them have now been withdrawn. One of the two vehicles given to him has also been taken back.

Former Akali Ministers Janmeja Singh Sekhon and Gulzar Singh Ranike have lost 16 out of the 18 guards each at their disposal. The security vehicles given to them too have been withdrawn.

BJP leaders and former ministers Bhagat Chunni Lal and Surjit Kumar Jyani and Akali Minister Surjit Singh Rakhra had 17 guards each. They are now left with two guards each.

AAP parliamentarian Bhagwant Mann had six Punjab Police guards and a vehicle. He is left with four guards.

BJP’s Rajya Sabha member from Amritsar Shwait Malik had 14 gunmen with him. Ten of them have been withdrawn. Congress parliamentarians Ambika Soni and Chaudhary Santokh Singh had eight gunmen each. Both now have four each.

Two gunmen out of six each guarding Akali parliamentarians Ranjit Singh Brahmpura and Prem Singh Chanudmajra have also been called back.