An extra component of National Security Guards (NSG) has been allotted for Narendra Modi?s mobile security with intelligence agencies receiving fresh inputs about a possible attack on the BJP?s prime ministerial candidate, sources said. The alert, which was generated three weeks ago, was shared with the Gujarat Police and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) asked the NSG to add one more component to Modi?s inner security ring.
Modi has addressed 437 rallies across 25 states since he actively started campaigning for the Lok Sabha polls, and his security has been a big challenge for the security agencies. Whenever Modi attended these rallies, the venue was secured by at least seven layers of security. Depending on the venue and the threat perception, each Modi rally saw the deployment of 2,000-3,000 police personnel.
Modi wrapped up his public rallies Saturday by addressing the last one at Ballia in eastern Uttar Pradesh, which is among the 41 constituencies that go to polls in the final phase on Monday.
Few days ago, the MHA even convened a meeting of all the stakeholders, including the Gujarat police, to iron out the confusion arising out of involvement of multiple agencies in Modi?s security. ?The unique part about the meeting was that it centred around one political personality. There were fresh intelligence inputs and there was no way we could have taken any chance regarding his security. Nearly all the available resources were asked to be on guard,? said a senior officer.
In September last year, the Gujarat government had forwarded a request to the MHA to step up his security. The MHA put him in the ?heightened security cover? after the serial blasts in Patna in October. A special security scheme was chalked out and Gujarat Police was asked to do the advance liaison with the other security forces.
?We are not only providing him with security but it is an entire package where all the minute details have been chalked out,? said a senior NSG official.
At least 114 NSG personnel are dedicated to Modi?s close range security at present, including those who sanitise vehicles used by Modi to travel outside Gujarat. The security upgrade has already made Modi the most protected VIP in the Z-plus category.
