Central Government to Withdraw NSG from VIP Security, CRPF to Take Over Protection of Nine High-Risk VIPs

The central government has ordered the complete withdrawal of the anti-terrorist commando force NSG from VIP security and handing over the security of nine 'high risk' VIPs to the CRPF by next month, official sources said on Wednesday. The Home Ministry has also approved the addition of a new battalion of specially trained jawans to the VIP security cell of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). This battalion was recently removed from Parliament security. Sources said the nine Z-plus category VIPs protected by the National Security Guard (NSG)'s 'Black Cat' commandos include Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, former state chief minister and BSP chief Mayawati, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, senior BJP leader and former deputy prime minister LK Advani, Union Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, BJP leader and former Chhattisgarh chief minister Raman Singh, former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) president Ghulam Nabi Azad, National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, who will now be provided CRPF security cover.

Transfer likely to be completed in a month

He said the transfer of responsibilities between the two forces under the Home Ministry is likely to be completed within a month.

A senior official told PTI that the CRPF, which has six VIP security battalions, has been asked to add another seventh battalion for the job. The new battalion will be the one that was engaged in the security of Parliament till a few months ago.

CRPF was given the responsibility of Parliament's security

The officer said that after the security lapse in Parliament came to light last year, the security of Parliament was handed over from CRPF to CISF.

According to sources, as part of the process of taking over the new responsibility, a team of Andhra Pradesh Police was recently in Delhi because of the transfer of its Chief Minister's security from NSG to CRPF.

According to sources, two of these nine VIPs will also be provided with the Advanced Security Contact (ASL) protocol given by CRPF. These include Defense Minister Rajnath Singh and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath.

In ASL, the place of the VIP's upcoming visit is checked in advance. CRPF adopts such protocol for five VIPs in the country, including Home Minister Amit Shah, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and three Congress leaders of the Gandhi family.

PTI had reported in January 2020 that a Home Ministry committee had decided to withdraw the NSG from VIP security duties after the SPG (Special Security Group) was removed from the security of the Gandhi family - Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.

Deployed in VIP security two decades ago

The central government has decided to 'reorganise' the NSG and use its manpower to raise and deploy 'strike teams' of commandos in some high-risk areas near the Ram temple in Ayodhya and around some important properties located in the southern part of the country.

The 'Black Cat' commandos were deployed in this work more than two decades ago. This work was not originally assigned to it at the time of conception and establishment of the force in 1984.

The NSG is celebrating its 40th foundation day on Wednesday. The Centre is of the view that the NSG should focus on its core charter of handling specific tasks of counter-terrorism and anti-hijacking operations and the task of protecting high-risk VIPs is proving to be a "burden" on its limited and specialist capabilities.

Around 450 'Black Cat' commandos are expected to be freed up after the NSG is withdrawn from VIP security duties, sources had said.