Home Ministry To Review VIP Security Measures Days After Farooq Abdullah Attack

The Union home ministry will undertake a comprehensive security audit of all VIPs under the central security cover in the wake of the assassination bid on former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah, officials said on Friday.

The decision to hold the review next week was taken in a meeting chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, Home Secretary Govind Mohan, Intelligence Bureau (IB) Director Tapan Deka and senior officials from the VIP security wing of the MHA, they said.

A security cover to such VIPs is provided by central paramilitary forces like the CRPF, CISF, NSG, and ITBP.

Officials said the review will also be relevant because assembly polls in five states — Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Puducherry — are taking place soon, requiring a host of political VIPs to travel across these regions.

There are about 400 VIPs in various security categories under the central list, which includes about 220 with the CRPF, 156 with the CISF, nine with the NSG and a few with the ITBP.

PTI reported on Thursday that the National Security Guard (NSG) will undertake such a review for its protectees.

NSG provides Abdullah with the top-category Z-plus security cover.

Abdullah had a miraculous escape on Wednesday night when a gunman shot at him from behind as the National Conference president was leaving a wedding in Jammu.

CCTV footage from the event showed a policeman and an NSG commando intercepting the attacker, while a second commando and other security personnel pinned him to the ground.

The team immediately evacuated Abdullah from the venue.

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