CRPF eyes bullet proof vehicles as VVIP protection duties rise

With an increasing number of high-profile personalities coming under its security cover, CRPF has decided to provide these VVIPs with bulletproof protection during their movements across the country.
The force, which has recently been entrusted with the security of BJP chief Amit Shah under the top grade of 'Z+' armed commando cover, has also bolstered its VVIP security unit by tasking one more battalion or close to 1,000 troops for this task.
With this, a total of 4,000 commandos now constitute the elite VVIP security unit of the force, which is also the mainstay of anti-Naxal operations and other counter-insurgency operations in the country.

The force, sources said, will soon procure close to a dozen 'Bullet Proof' (BP) vehicles which will be used to secure the VVIPs during road journeys, especially outside Delhi.
The need to procure these special vehicles, sources said, was felt after a threat analysis study by the force showed that these VVIPs have to be secured through "extraordinary" measures like usage of BP vehicles, a salient feature in the secret bluebook of elite units rendering VVIP security.
The country's largest paramilitary force, sources said, is procuring these vehicles after a gap of about four years as an increasing number of VVIPs -- 42 at present -- has necessitated such purchase. These vehicles were till now being largely used by CRPF for duties in Jammu and Kashmir.

The force, under the new plan, plans to obtain custom-made BP and armoured vehicles like Ambassador cars and a few SUVs which can be deployed for swift and secure travel.
The paramilitary had procured these vehicles in the past from various Ordnance Factory Boards under Defence Ministry. It plans to purchase the new ones not only from the government stable and the door has also been kept open for established private vendors.