Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 8

With a view to keep two specialised central forces – CRPF and ITBP – focussed on their respective core areas, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has decided to take them off VIP security. This in turn will now mean that providing security to VIPs will be the responsibility of Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and National Security Guard (NSG).Confirming about the MHA decision, a senior official said by the end of next year the two forces –Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) – which have under them about 100 VIP protectees, would hand over the security baton to CISF.Quoting the MHA order, the official said: “The personal protection duties have been reviewed by the ministry and it has been decided to take CRPF and ITBP off from the VIP security duty.”According to the official, the order further said, “The task shall progressively be assigned only to Special Security Group (SSG) of CISF, which has been specifically created for the purpose.” It went on to add: “NSG will continue to provide security to the high-risk protectees as decided from time to time.” The NSG security is being provided to a limited number of protectees.As per the figures provided by the MHA around 75 persons are being provided security by CRPF, which include protectees like BJP chief Amit Shah, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, Centre’s Special Representative for talks in Kashmir Dineshar Sharma, RJD chief Lalu Prasad and Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani. The force was roped in to provide VVIP protection in 2014 when NSG had shown its reluctance to deploy black cat commandos for personal protection.The NSG currently protects 14 high-risk category VVIPs. NSG’s Special Rangers Group (SRG), with personnel drawn from Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) and state police forces, is deployed for guarding high-risk VIPs/VVIPs.