Police get active, provide security to three MLAs facing threats

Hours after the Najafgarh MLA was shot at his office, the Delhi Police provided Y-category security to three legislators, who complained of threats from criminals.

Hours after the Najafgarh MLA was shot at his office, the Delhi Police provided Y-category security to three legislators, who complained of threats from criminals.

HT Image

Apart from Bharat Singh, the other two MLAs who have got security cover include Jaswant Singh Rana — MLA from Narela — and Matia Mahal MLA Shoib Iqbal.

While Rana’s son had recently received an extortion call demanding Rs. 50 lakh, Iqbal claimed that his car was attacked by unknown persons on Thursday. Rana had raised the issue of lack of security to Delhi MLAs in the Assembly on Friday, followed by several MLAs reiterating their demand for personal security.

“The Delhi Police are now completely aware of the threat perception to some of our MLAs and have even provided security to three of them. Only yesterday, the MLAs had raised this issue in the Assembly and today this happened. The police commissioner has promised that adequate security will be provided to the MLAs who have any kind of threats,” Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit said.

Delhi police commissioner BK Gupta met Dikshit and Assembly speaker Yoganand Shastri and discussed the security scenario and the MLAs’ demand for security at length.

The MLAs have been raising the demand for a personal security officer for a long time and had even passed a resolution in this regard in the Assembly in 2011, which was sent to the ministry of home affairs for implementation.

“We discussed the issue of personal security for all MLAs. I don’t know if the police have the strength to cope up with this demand. But the commissioner has promised to provide security to any member who has threats,” Dikshit said.