Odisha To Have Dedicated Security Wing For VVIPs, Vital Installations

Bhubaneswar: Alarmed at the murder of Health Minister Naba Kishore Das by a policeman, the Odisha government plans to form a special security division exclusively for the protection of VVIPs and vital installations, including the Chief Minister’s residence.

Sources said Director General of Police (FGP) Sunil Kumar Bansal has approved a proposal for creation of the dedicated security division to function under the Commissionerate of Police.

The security arrangements for VVIPs and vital installations in the twin cities of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack have so far being made by the office of city deputy commissioner of police.

According to Commissioner of Police Soumendra Priyadarshi, the new security division will be made operational soon.  It will be headed by a senior officer in the rank of commandant or deputy commandant.

At present, the state security wing under the special branch of the state police deals with the security of vital installations including the Chief Minister’s residence, Governor House, Assembly building and the High Court, he said.

“Since the DCP is always occupied with supervision of crime-control measures and law-and-order supervision, we proposed to create the new security division under another senior officer. This move will ensure better coordination and supervision of the security of VVIPs and key installations,” the police Commissioner was quoted by TOI as saying.

The security division will have three key components – static security (deployment of security in major installations), security for Z-category protectees and emergency response to crisis situations.

The new wing will coordinate with the personal security officers (PSOs) allotted to elected representatives  and bureaucrats. Refresher training programmes will also be organised for these security personnel, the sources added.

The move comes in the aftermath of the murder of Naba Das allegedly by a police official in full public glare at Brajarajnagar in Jharsuguda district on January 29.