# Bengal

Governor’s security upgraded to Z-plus

The threat perception exists as Mr Bose was a member of the postpoll violence inquiry committee in West Bengal before being appointed as the governor of the state

SNS | New Delhi | January 5, 2023 4:18 pm

The Ministry of Home Affairs has given Z+ category security cover to West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose on the basis of a threat perception assessment carried out by intelligence agencies, said sources. A Z plus category of security cover entitles him to protection by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).

A directive in this regard was issued by the Ministry today. According to sources, the threat perception exists as Mr Bose was a member of the post-poll violence inquiry committee in West Bengal before being appointed as the governor of the state. Mr Bose will be given the highest category of security cover.

Z+ security is provided to VIPs and VVIPs, athletes, entertainers, and other high-profile or political figures. It may be mentioned here that the security cover is accorded to personalities whose lives are at jeopardy owing to their work or popularity.

The security category is categorised into five groups namely X, Y, Z, Z+ and SPG and the security category is decided depending on the information provided by the intelligence agencies.

The X security category comprises two armed police officers and the Y security cover comprises an 11-member crew, which includes 1-2 NSG commandos and police personnel. The Z security cover comprises a 22-member crew, comprising 4-5 NSG commandos and police personnel. The Z plus category includes 35 to 40 commandos that are provided on a rotational basis.

The Prime Minister, former Prime Ministers and members of their families get SPG degree of security to ensure their safety. Mr Bose, a retired Kerala cadre IAS officer of the 1977 batch, was named as the new governor of West Bengal on 17 November and was sworn in on 23 November.

The security cover for former governor Jagdeep Dhankhar was upgraded in 2019 after he visited Jadavpur University to rescue the then BJP leader and Union minister Babul Supriyo, who was heckled by a section of the students, leading to a war of words with the Trinamul Congress.