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Senior IPS officer Anurag Agarwal appointed Parliament security chief
Anurag Agarwal, a 1998 batch officer, currently serves as the Shillong-based Inspector General of the Central Reserve Police Force’s (CRPF) North East Sector
NEW DELHI: Senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Anurag Agarwal has been appointed joint secretary (security) of the Lok Sabha secretariat, according to a notification issued on Thursday.
Agarwal, a 1998 batch officer of the Assam-Meghalaya cadre, currently serves as the Shillong-based Inspector General of the Central Reserve Police Force’s (CRPF) North East Sector.
”The Speaker is pleased to appoint Anurag Agarwal, IPS(AM:98), presently working as IG,CRPF, to the post of Joint Secretary (Security) on deputation basis for a period of three (03) years from the date of assumption of charge, or until further orders, whichever is earlier,” the order issued by the Lok Sabha Secretariat on Thursday said. HT has reviewed the notification.
The key appointment comes months after two persons walked past three layers of security in Parliament complex on December 13, the 22nd anniversary of the 2001 terrorist attack on Parliament, before jumping into the Lok Sabha and spraying coloured smoke inside the chambers. At the same time, their two associates shouted slogans outside Parliament and sprayed coloured smoke from canisters before being taken into custody. The daring security breach triggered nationwide alarm and brought back memories of the 2001 terror attack on the highest seat of Indian democracy.
Raghubir Lal, the last officer to hold the post of joint secretary (security) at the Lok Sabha secretariat, had shifted out on November 2 to take up his next assignment, and the post was vacant when the security breach took place on Dec 13. Days later, the Lok Sabha Secretariat also wrote to the ministry of home affairs (MHA) to send names of potential candidates to fill the vacancy immediately.
As the joint secretary (security), Agarwal will head the Parliament Security Service -- an internal security service that is responsible for the security of the Parliament. He is assisted by two directors (security) of both Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. The directors are usually DIG rank officers who come on deputation from paramilitary forces. All paramilitary forces and Delhi police personnel within the premises of Parliament report to the head of the PSS.
Following the security breach, an additional contingent of over 150 Central Industrial Security force (CISF) personnel was brought to Parliament. The force is working in coordination with PSS, CRPF and Delhi police. The breach led the Lok Sabha Secretariat to suspend eight security personnel for lapses
