MH-SACHIN-SECURITY

Tendulkar's security downgraded, Aaditya Thackeray's upgraded
    Mumbai, Dec 25 (PTI) Batting legend Sachin Tendulkar's
security cover has been downgraded, while that of Shiv Sena
MLA Aaditya Thackeray upgraded to 'Z' category, an official
said on Wednesday.
    The changes in security cover were made after a review
was undertaken by a Maharashtra government committee on threat
perception to them, he said.
    Besides Tendulkar and Aaditya Thackeray, security
cover of more than 90 prominent citizens were reviewed by the
committee at a recent meeting, the official said.
    Tendulkar, a Bharat Ratna awardee, till now enjoyed
X category security which has been withdrawn, he said.
    Under X category, a policeman used to guard the 46-
year-old cricketer round-the-clock, the official said.
    However, the former Rajya Sabha member will be given a
police escort whenever he steps out of his home, he said.
    Aaditya Thackeray, the son of Chief Minister Uddhav
Thackeray, has been given 'Z' security cover, meaning more
personnel will be guarding him now, the official said.
    Earlier, the 29-year-old MLA from Worli in central
Mumbai had Y+ security cover.
    NCP president Sharad Pawar will continue to enjoy Z+
security, whereas his nephew and party leader Ajit Pawar
retains Z category security cover, he said.
    Social activist Anna Hazares security has been
enhanced to Y+ from Z category, the official said.
    Former Uttar Pradesh governor Ram Naiks Z+ security
has been downgraded to X. Security cover of two former BJP
ministers, Eknath Khadse and Ram Shinde, has also been
downgraded, he said.
    The security of well-known lawyer Ujjwal Nikam, who
represented the prosecution in several high-profile cases like
the 1993 Mumbai serial bomb blasts, too, has been downgraded.
    Nikam, who previously enjoyed Z+ security, has now
been placed in Y category with an escort, the official said.
    Several ministers in the erstwhile BJP-led government
may also see security downgrades in the coming days, he added.
PTI DC
RSY RSY

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)