NSG cover of Raman Singh, Lalu withdrawn

The National Security Guard (NSG) cover of Raman Singh, the Chief Minister of naxal violence-hit Chhattisgarh, and RJD chief Lalu Prasad has been withdrawn and replaced with the personnel of Central Reserve Police Force.
Sources said the decision of changing the guard of the two leaders was taken in the light of "operational efficiency" as the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) is deployed thickly in areas of maximum movement of these two political leaders.
Both the leaders, with Singh being under Naxal threat, will continue to be guarded under the top category of the 'Z+' VVIP security cover which entails deployment of as many as 60 armed commandos and five to six vehicles including some bullet-proof ones at a given time.

"As the Chhattisgarh CM moves extensively in his state, it was thought appropriate to entrust the CRPF with his full security as the force has bases and contingents all along the Left Wing Extremism-hit corridor and it is easy to coordinate the security requirements.
"The CRPF has been looking after the security of Singh's official residence and movements in state capital Raipur for sometime now and they have been doing the job with finesse," sources said.
The NSG, in the scenario of Singh's movement to the interiors of Chhattisgarh, had to either airlift or send its squad by road and had to undertake huge coordination with agencies like CRPF and local police which was felt was not good given the CM's threat perception.

"VIP security is a special task and this should be done in a homogeneous fashion. As CRPF is extensively deployed in Chhattisgarh as part of anti-Naxal operations, they will be able to do the task better," they said.
Similarly, Lalu Prasad has now been given the CRPF cover as the force has large numbers in Bihar where the Rashtriya Janta Dal will be spending more time as Assembly polls are due in the state this year.