L-R) Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Mehbooba Mufti

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 6

The Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) administration is all set to minimise the strength of the elite Special Security Group (SSG) personnel, who are assigned the task of guarding former Chief Ministers of the erstwhile state, including Farooq Abdullah, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti. The elite force as a unit of the J&K Police was created in 2000 to provide security to top politicians in the erstwhile state.

Elite force was created in 2000

• The elite force as a unit of the J&K Police was created in 2000 to provide security to top politicians in the erstwhile state
• The decision will entail withdrawal of security cover of Farooq Abdullah, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti
• Farooq and Azad will continue to be provided NSG cover, while Omar and Mehbooba will continue to have Z-plus security cover while in Jammu and Kashmir

However, Farooq and Azad will continue to be provided the security cover of the National Security Guard, also known as Black Cat commandoes, as both of them are Z-plus protectees. Omar and Mehbooba will continue to have Z-plus security cover while in Jammu and Kashmir, but are likely to have reduced security outside the Union Territory.

Officials said the decision was taken by the Security Review Coordination Committee, a group that oversees the threat perception of important leaders in J

The officials said the SSG would be “right-sized” by reducing the number of the elite force to the “bare minimum”. It would be headed by an officer below the rank of Superintendent of Police as against Director, who is of the rank of Inspector General of Police and above.

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