The Union government has withdrawn the 'Z+' VIP protection of National Security Guard (NSG) commandos given to RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav after a recent review of the threat to various protectees, official sources said on Monday.
The former Bihar chief minister would now be given 'Z' category security and be guarded by an armed commando squad of the Central Reserve Police Force, in accordance with the protocol of the scaled-down cover, the sources said.
As a result, Yadav will not have NSG 'black cat' commandos guarding him any more. The NSG only provides 'Z+' security cover.
The decision was taken after the Union home ministry recently reviewed the threat levels to various VIP protectees.
The 'Z+' CRPF VIP security cover of former Bihar chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi was withdrawn completely. He will have state police cover from now on.
The 'Z' category security cover of Haribhai P. Chaudhary, union minister of state for coal and mines, was scaled down to 'Y+,' entailing less manpower and other paraphernalia, the sources said.
Chaudhary was accorded the larger security cover of central security forces when he was minister of state for home.
