NSA Doval's son gets VIP security cover; 10 BJP candidates in Bengal get too

Shaurya Doval, son of National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, has been accorded a top 'Z' category level security in view of potential threats to him, officials said on Tuesday.

Similarly, 10 BJP candidates, who are contesting elections from West Bengal, have been accorded security by the Centre for a "limited period", they said.

The officials told PTI that junior Doval has been "brought under the mobile security cover" of a central paramilitary force after a security perception report prepared by central agencies claimed that he faced "threats from people inimical to his father and others".

Post this report, the Union home ministry has ordered deployment of CISF commandos to guard Shaurya Doval (43) under the 'Z' category of VIP cover and AK-47 wielding commandos will be guarding him everytime he moves in any part of the country.

About 15-16 commands have been "detailed" for the security of Shaurya Doval, they said.

Shaurya Doval heads the think-tank 'India Foundation'.

NSA Doval enjoys the topmost category of 'Z+' provided by the Central Industrial Security Force. Ajit Doval was brought under this security umbrella about four years ago.

In a similar move, the government has accorded a "limited period" VIP security cover to a number of BJP candidates contesting the general elections in West Bengal.

BJP candidates Aupam Hazra, contesting Lok Sabha polls from Jadavpur and Arjun Singh, who joined the party after deserting the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and is contesting from Barrackpore, have been given a 'Y+' cover of central armed paramilitary commandos.

Similarly, Minister of State in the Union cabinet and candidate from Durgapur, S S Ahluwalia, Cooch Behar candidate Nishit Pramanik, former IPS officer and Ghatal seat candidate Bharti Ghosh have been accorded the 'Y+' cover that entails about 5-6 armed commandos. BJP leader Siddharth Shekhar Das has also been given the security.

BJP candidate from North 24 Parganas Shantanu Thakur has been accorded a 'Y' category cover while the lowest 'X' category cover has been given to Dulal Chandra Bar and Khagen Murmu who switched sides to the BJP from Congress and CPI(M) respectively.

A similar 'X' category security cover, that entails about 2-3 commandos with escort vehicle, has been accorded to Kabir Shankar Bose.

All the political people getting security cover in West Bengal will have the armed commandos with them till the polls get over and the MHA (Ministry of Home Affairs) has directed to withdraw the cover from them by May-June.