MHA may approve proposal to procure bullet proof vehicles for VVIP security

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is likely to approve the CRPF's proposal to procure new bullet proof vehicles for VVIP security, sources in the Ministry said.

The Ministry is examining the proposal and soon will take a decision as this is an important component in the VVIP security, they said.

The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has recently sent a proposal for procuring 25 new bullet proof vehicles for the VIP protectees as the current vehicles used for providing security are old and have their limitations.

Citing reasons for the procurement of the new vehicles, the officials in the Force said the present vehicles have a front-seat arrangement while the central-seating arrangement for VIPs will be safer from a security point of view.

The vehicles used as of now, were not procured for VIP security purposes, the officials said.

The sources in the Ministry also said that more vehicles will be procured and stationed at various formations of the CRPF across the country as many protectees have the all India security cover and in that case, the Force has to remain dependent on the bullet proof vehicles provided by the concerned states.

The CRPF's VIP security wing has been providing armed security to a total of 117 protectees under various categories -- Z+, Z, Y+, Y and Z that includes high-profile leaders like Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP chief JP Nadda, Congress President Sonia Gandhi, MP Rahul Gandhi and Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.

--IANS

ams/pgh