Providing personal security to VVIPs and other high profile persons in Karnataka does not top the agenda of the State police compared to most northern states and Maharastra. Politicians, businessmen or cine stars do face constant threats from terror groups, underworld gangs and vested interests in other states, but not so in Karnataka.

“Except IT honchos like Wipro’s Azim Premji and Infosys’ Narayan Murthy, no politician, minister, sports person or businessman face serious threats. However, as a matter of precaution, the chief minister, home minister and the governor have been included in the list of Z plus category. With the President’s rule on, now only Governor Rameshwar Thakur has been given the Z plus security,” says DCP (VVIP security) V Thimmappa.

The Z category security was offered to Premji and Murthy in 2006, but they declined  the coverage, stating that they had employed their own personal security.

“Situations in a majority of cases do not demand high security coverage to anyone in the State. But, we can’t predict events and the situation may change quickly because of some unwanted happening,” says ACP (VVIP security) MK Uthappa.

The categorisation committee, headed by DGP and ADGP (intelligence) and officials of the Home department meet once in six months to review threat perception. Security of important persons are reviewed from time to time in the wake of impending threat perception to particular individual. Based on the report of the Intelligence Department, decision to include or exclude names of the persons in the security cover will be taken,” he adds.

The department has modern weapons including AK 47s, short revolvers, pistols, BP jackets, helmets, bomb protection devices and others to face any eventuality. But, trained and technical personnel are required to train the department staff. A proposal requesting to provide the technical personnel was sent to the State government in 2006, but there has been no response, say the officials.

Bullet Proof (BP) cars are given to those coming under Z plus category. There are eight BP cars in the State. VVIP Security department has two BP cars, while the State Intelligence has six. The government is planning to use three more in the districts.

The VVIP security staff do not get extra benefits for their services. VVIP security and City Intelligence wings come under commissariat, while State Intelligence and CoD come under DG. Nature of the work of both wings are similar, but the staff of CoD and State Intelligence draw 33 per cent more salary that their counterparts in the commissariat, an official, on condition of anonymity said.

Former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda was given Z plus category earlier. The facility was withdrawn in 2004 after the Congress came to power at the Centre. Gowda’s pleas for continuation of the facilities was rejected by the committee as the members felt that there was no serious threat to Gowda and his
family members.