BHUBANESWAR: Chief minister Naveen Patnaik’s most trusted aide and IAS officer-turned-BJD leader V K Pandian’s security cover has been scaled up to Z category, according to a recent letter from Odisha police to all SPs and commissionerate police. The state govt has also enhanced the security covers of Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan and BJP’s national vice-president Baijayant Panda to Z category, the order read.
State BJP president Manmohan Samal, Congress state chief Sarat Pattanayak and Congress’s Kantabanji MLA candidate Santosh Singh Saluja have been provided with Y category security cover.
Barring Pandian, the other five VIP protectees are contesting the elections. According to Odisha police, the six politicians have been accorded Z and Y security covers in view of threat perceptions to their lives due to their exposure in public places for election campaigns.
On February 10, 2018, a group of BJP workers had allegedly stormed into Pandian’s residence in the state capital and resorted to vandalism. On August 19, 2023, Bhaskar Sahoo (38), a social worker from Kanas area, had thrown ink on Pandian during a grievance redressal programme in Satyabadi area of Puri district. Pandian was the private secretary of Naveen when both the incidents took place.
Pandian was earlier provided with two personal security officers (PSOs), a havildar and four constables as house guards, besides another havildar and four other constables as escort party while he was on the move. As per the Z cover, Pandian will be given at least 22 police personnel, Odisha police sources said.
Recently, the Saheed Nagar police in Bhubaneswar registered a case against three men for allegedly circulating a fake letter relating to Pandian’s security cover. The accused had claimed that Pandian enjoyed security cover of 74 police personnel.
Union minister Pradhan, who is contesting from Sambalpur Lok Sabha seat, was already given Y protection by the ministry of home affairs. Pradhan was earlier provided with two PSOs, a havildar and four constables, along with a pilot/escort.
Saluja, who was given two PSOs, will remain under the Y security cover after he received death threats from anonymous people in February. Panda, who has been given Z cover, was earlier not under any VIP security cover, a senior police officer said.
State BJP president Manmohan Samal, Congress state chief Sarat Pattanayak and Congress’s Kantabanji MLA candidate Santosh Singh Saluja have been provided with Y category security cover.
Barring Pandian, the other five VIP protectees are contesting the elections. According to Odisha police, the six politicians have been accorded Z and Y security covers in view of threat perceptions to their lives due to their exposure in public places for election campaigns.
On February 10, 2018, a group of BJP workers had allegedly stormed into Pandian’s residence in the state capital and resorted to vandalism. On August 19, 2023, Bhaskar Sahoo (38), a social worker from Kanas area, had thrown ink on Pandian during a grievance redressal programme in Satyabadi area of Puri district. Pandian was the private secretary of Naveen when both the incidents took place.
Pandian was earlier provided with two personal security officers (PSOs), a havildar and four constables as house guards, besides another havildar and four other constables as escort party while he was on the move. As per the Z cover, Pandian will be given at least 22 police personnel, Odisha police sources said.
Recently, the Saheed Nagar police in Bhubaneswar registered a case against three men for allegedly circulating a fake letter relating to Pandian’s security cover. The accused had claimed that Pandian enjoyed security cover of 74 police personnel.
Union minister Pradhan, who is contesting from Sambalpur Lok Sabha seat, was already given Y protection by the ministry of home affairs. Pradhan was earlier provided with two PSOs, a havildar and four constables, along with a pilot/escort.
Saluja, who was given two PSOs, will remain under the Y security cover after he received death threats from anonymous people in February. Panda, who has been given Z cover, was earlier not under any VIP security cover, a senior police officer said.