Some key state leaders order new bullet proof cars even as the exchequer coughs up crores on their security.
About a week ago, when the nation was glued to the television for latest updates on the Mumbai terror strikes, a few showroom-fresh vehicles were speeding to Jalandhar on a security mission of another kind. These vehicles, all Tata Safaris, covered 1,800 kms in three days landing at a fabricating unit for bullet proofing, sent all the way up north by key ministers here.
Sources indicate that the vehicles were sent by both the ruling party as well as the opposition for their leaders to Laggar Industries Ltd. in Jalandhar, a private outfit that specialises in bullet proofing of cars. While confirming the arrival of cars to HNN, the director of Laggar Industries said that they were sent on a “private order’’ from the “political section’’ but declined to give the names. He, however, did say that this was the first order the 20-year-old company had received from Andhra Pradesh and that the SUVs were brand new and had landed in Jalandhar three days ago.
Bullet proofing of vehicles comprises a complete overhaul of the cars with their glasses removed and replaced with bullet proof ones, grenade proofing of the roof and the floor and may even involve the change in upholstery. In addition, even tyres can be bullet proofed if the client so wishes. “The cost of armouring vehicles ranges between Rs 5.5 lakh (for an ambassador) and around Rs 8 lakh for a Safari,’’ says a director with Laggar. This is in addition to the cost of the vehicle, which in the case of an SUV is around Rs Rs 9 lakh. Bullet proofing of tyres costs Rs 2.5 to Rs 3.5 lakh, he says.
This development has political observers aghast who wonder whether politicians need more security than they already have. The state is currently giving six ministers Z+ security and another six a Z cover. As many as 51 leaders\ministers are being given a Y security cover and seven have been given X. The chief security officers of the ministers, however, said that more information on the “protectees’’ could not be divulged due to security reasons.
However, it is clear that these new vehicles are in addition to the existing fleet of bullet proof cars our main political leaders have. The convoys of key leaders such as chief minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy and TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu have bullet proof cars and one jammer (which neutralises any frequency so that remote controlled explosive devices cannot be triggered). This is in addition to the posse of personnel deployed for our politicians’ security.
Take for instance, the security of Chandrababu Naidu. With a Z+ security cover, Naidu has a convoy of eight vehicles, including, a jammer and two bullet proof cars. There are 10 personnel from the state police and another six National Security Guard commandos, that are with him roundthe- clock. Four members of his escort team carry AK 47s. Naidu is the only leader in the state with NSG security (after his security was scaled down prompting him to write to the centre pointing out how he faced extremist threat).
Unlike Naidu’s convoy of ambassadors, Y S Rajasekhara Reddy moves around in Tata Safaris. His convoy consists of five identical safaris, three of which are bulletand mine-proof. Then there are more nonbullet proof cars for other officials. “What you see on the road is only 50 per cent of the CM’s security,’’ says a police official.
Senior police officials overseeing the security of ministers say the security blanket on these VIPs is completely justified. They say they depute personnel based on the threat perception report, which is made after extensive consultations with various branches of the force who give an idea as to how vulnerable the leader is. “Besides, in AP we have to protect them against double threats— one of naxals and the other of terrorists— so they really need the cover,’’ says a cop. He goes on to say, “An attack on a political leader can make people feel more vulnerable as they would fear for their safety when that of a VIP could not be ensured.’’ Really?
Rs 200 CR SPENT ON VIP SECURITY IN AP
Here is some number crunching to deduce how much does the security of our leaders cost the exchequer. The safety of political leaders and other VIPs in the state is the responsibility of the state police. According to senior officials, there are 1,000 VIPs in Andhra Pradesh being provided protection by around 6,000 armed personnel. Estimating the average salary of the deployed personnel at around Rs 15,000 each, the per annum figure is about Rs 108 crore. Add to that the expense of bullet proof cars, jammers and fuel, not to mention the arms, high security gadgets installed in offices and residences of senior ministers and the cost of securing leaders could easily touch Rs 150 to Rs 200 crore, an official estimates.
After all, each bullet proof vehicle fabricated by the car maker costs anywhere between Rs 10 lakh to Rs 30 lakh depending on the car model, with ambassadors costing the least also because they have to be armoured locally as Hindustan Motors doesn’t fabricate armoured vehicles. Other vehicles such as Scorpio, Qualis and Sumo are also armoured by the manufacturers, their cost ranging from Rs 20 to Rs 22 lakh. Jammers cost Rs 75 lakh and above, depending on the jammer’s frequency.
A senior cop says that salaries of the deployed personnel is the main expense in the security arrangement. In addition, the per annum fuel expenditure is around Rs 11 crore on various VIP vehicles.
While the deployment ranges from one constable to two gunmen to complete convoys depending on how vulnerable a target the VIP is, it does sap the force with senior IPS officers ruing they are tired of meeting demands of various small time politicians forever seeking heightened security measures for them.
GUNMEN carry babies, baggage
The state’s 90,000 strong police force diverts 6,000 of its armed personnel to safeguard our various leaders. These gun toting officers, however, on many occasions drop arms to do more important work for their bosses such as carry their luggage and even their children. Senior cops admit that gunmen are very often misused by leaders who use them to run errands when not using them as nannies for their babies. “Gunmen are often used to drop and pick children from school,’’ says a senior official, adding that in many cases ministers insist on a particular gunman citing his familiarity with the medicines the leader takes. “Leaders often want a particular gunman because they know he wouldn’t mind carrying their luggage,’’ says a senior intelligence official.
While the gunmen are supposed to be in their uniforms, senior cops say they are allowed to be in safaris as it is “rather embarrassing cradling babies in khaki’’. Cops say that the 24-hour duty of gunmen to escort the leader also comprises taking the family out for shopping. Most gunmen comply with the orders, but in some cases they have also lodged police complaints against their political bosses alleging harassment.
Sources say that stories of gunmen being misused are dime a dozen. “They are status symbols for these leaders. And they don’t use them all the time, asking them (the gunmen) to leave if they are meeting some ‘important’ people where some transaction has to take place,’’ says a cop.
Most senior cops say they are wary of these gunmen being used as collection agents for the politicians they are serving. “They (the gunmen) in turn become power centres and that is why we try to rotate their duties but this is very often resisted by the political leaders,’’ says an official. In fact, in one case when a district SP took action against a political leader’s gunman who was entering polling booths, the SP was booted out. “Some gunmen think they are above the law as they are associated with ministers. They do not come for parades and fail to report when asked to by district cops,’’ says an official.
“We try to train them and orient them in a way that they do their job professionally. But in many cases, they (gunmen) also develop vested interests. At the end of it, the gunman’s integrity depends on his boss. If the boss is good, he is good,’’ an official observes.
THE POLITICS OF SECURITY
In what was seen as a media gimmick, a newly sworn in Y S Rajasekhara Reddy in 2004 asked for the removal of all security gadgets and even the metal detectors from AP Bhavan. He said that all officials should be able to move around freely. Predictably, the free style didn’t last too long with the security getting beefed up in two months time
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati has in attendance an army of at least 350 policemen and an assortment of 34 vehicles. She claimed there was a conspiracy to eliminate her and even asked her officials to study the stringent Israeli security apparatus
Nearly 35 personnel drawn from the Special Branch, Bihar Military Police and Patna district police and six vehicles, including a bullet-proof car, were at RJD President Lalu Prasad Yadavs beck and call until November last year when it was withdrawn. The Bihar Special Security Group Act was passed during the RJD rule in 2000 under which security was to be provided to chief minister, members of his immediate family, including wife and children and former chief ministers for at least five years from the day they demitted office. The security cover could be extended by the government through fresh notifications. The extended term lapsed in September last year and the government decided against granting any fresh extension. But as railway union minister, the former Bihar CM enjoys Z+ security
ORDER ORDER
The Delhi High Court on Wednesday expressed its unhappiness at the deployment of a number of security personnel to protect VIPs and sought a reply from the government. Hearing a petition, a division bench headed by Chief Justice Ajit Prakash Shah and Justice S. Muralidhar refrained from passing any further order but asked the government to file a compliance report on its earlier orders on this matter by Feb 4
The Allahabad high court in May 2006, taking cognizance of a TOI write up on security covers for petty politicians and other ineligible persons, sought the number of persons who were involved in criminal cases and were provided with security, and the shortfall in number of police personnel required for manning police stations and for other duties. The court directed the district level committee or the SSPs/SPs to mention reasons in their orders for providing security
Following Delhi High Court’s instructions in 1998, the Delhi police had then started pruning the security of VVIPs. The Delhi HC had pulled up the state government for diverting a big chunk of the city police force to VIP duties and ensuring that the criminals had a field day.
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