RTI reveals large number of policemen employed in VIP security
22 Feb, 2013Questions have been raised whether police is for the protection of the VIPs or the common man. An application was filed with the police department of Gautam Budhha Nagar district in Uttar Pradesh under the Right to Information (RTI) Act seeking the details of the policemen deployed for the security of VIPs.
The reply from the department states that 90 VIPs have been provided with security cover in the district where total police strength lies around 1,500. The reply also states that the number is much higher than what is sanctioned by the state.
As per the reply, state government had recommended for security cover to 49 VIPs in the district. Further, 18 VIPs have been provided with security cover following orders from different courts and the decisions to deploy policemen in the security of 23 VIPs have been taken at the district level.
The ADG (NCR) of Uttar Pradesh has admitted the shortage of manpower in the police force due to deployment of large proportion of total strength in security arrangement of VIPs.