Recently, Mrs. Nita Ambani was all over in news as she has been provided with a ‘Y’ category security cover of CRPF commandos. Earlier, her husband, Mukesh Ambani was provided with a ‘Z’ category security cover. So, isn’t it a bit confusing what is X, Y and Z Security Covers? We got it sorted for you:
Security is provided to VVIPs/VIPs/Politicians/ High-profile celebrities and sportspersons by a few agencies, namely the SPG (Special Protection Group), NSG (National Security Guards), and CRPF (Central Reserve Police Force) along with ITBP (Indo-Tibetian Border Police) and sometimes, local police.
Out of these, only SPG and NSG commandos are allotted to VIPs and VVIPs with Z+ cover.
So, to start with, there are 4 types of security covers provided to high-risk individuals by the police and government in India. They are Z+, Z, Y and X.
Z+ category is the highest a person can get lowering all the way down to X.
Details of the categories are as follows depending on the level of threat:
Z+ category:
- Provided to VIPs and VVIPs.
- Has a security cover of over 36 personnel.
- Guarded extensively by NSG.
- NSG with Special Protection Group (SPG) guards the Prime Minister, former PMs and their immediate family members.
- Round the clock personal security.
- Contains 28 NSG commandos, an escort, a pilot and tailing vehicles, Cobra commandos and 12 home guards.
Z category:
- Provided to low-profile individuals.
- Entails 2 Personal Security Officers (PSOs) and one escort car to an individual.
- Has a security cover of 22 personnel including a pilot.
Y category:
- Provided to lower-key profile indiviaduals.
- Also entails 2 PSOs but without an escort car.
- Has a security cover of 11 personnel.
X category:
- Provided to individuals with the lowest threat.
- Entails only 1 PSO.
- Has a security cover of 2 personnel.
The individuals covered under the security blankets include The President, Vice-President, Prime-Minister, Supreme Court and High Court judges, Governors of states, Chief Ministers and cabinet ministers and the service chiefs of the Indian Armed Forces.
The Intelligence Bureau (IB) along with the home secretary and the home minister decides whether a person should get a security cover and if yes, then which category to be allotted.
There have also been instances where security was provided on recommendations of the state government.
So, all the uproar making sense now?
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