Lalu toying with security

Former railway minister Lalu Prasad has been violating security procedure and has forced the National Security Guard (NSG) to write to the government.

Former railway minister Lalu Prasad has been violating security procedure and has forced the National Security Guard (NSG) to write to the government.

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The Rashtriya Janata Dal does not allow the NSG escort to sit in the vehicle in which he travels, thereby creating a security risk, the country’s premier counter-terrorism force has told the home ministry.

“It has been brought to the notice of this ministry by the NSG that Lalu Prasad… does not allow NSG escort to sit in the protected person’s (PP’s) vehicle/ sit ahead in the PP’s vehicle,” a senior ministry official said in a letter — accessed by the HT — to security agencies on November 23.

As per the standard operating procedure, the ministry wrote, an escort should sit in front in the PP’s vehicle when he is travelling by road.

It ensures point-to-point security by forming a protective ring/box around the protectee and the vehicle. The primary responsibility of the drill is the immediate and safe evacuation of the VIP.

“By not enabling NSG escort to sit ahead in PP’s vehicle, the contingency plan of immediate evacuation… is defeated,” the letter said.

The ministry has requested Prasad to cooperate with security agencies. RJP spokesman Ram Dev Bhandari refused comment.

Another violation

The RJD chief could run into trouble with the Election Commission as his helicopter strayed while landing at Ichhagarh, a Naxal infested constituency around 90 km east of Ranchi, on Sunday. Prasad was in Jharkhand to campaign for assembly elections.

“His helicopter breached the security and landed where there was no security cover,” Sub-Divisional Officer Sandip Bakshi said. Authorities have sent a complaint to the EC, seeking punitive action.

(With inputs from B Vijay Murty in Ranchi)