After providing security to BJP MP Yogi Adityanath, MLA Sangeet Singh Som and Ramjanmabhoomi Nyas working president Mahant Nritya Gopal Das, the Centre on Tuesday accorded Z-category security to BJP’s Thana Bhawan MLA – Suresh Rana, who was accused in the Muzaffarnagar riots case and has also been jailed.

Rana will be extended the security cover in UP and a team of 32 CRPF personnel took over his security Tuesday morning. Rana had petitioned the Home Ministry in August 2014 for the same kind of security cover granted to Som.

He said that since both of them had the same threat perception, it was inevitable that he also be provided with the cover. “Rana has been accorded security cover by Central forces, but it will only be applicable in Uttar Pradesh,” a senior home ministry official said.

After riots, the state government had provided Y-category security to Rana following intelligence inputs about threat to his life.

Shamli SP Vijay Bhushan confirmed that the security cover to Suresh Rana is upgraded to Z category and also said that the Y-category security provided by state government will be withdrawn.

Both Som and Rana were arrested and the National Security Act (NSA) was invoked on them in September, 2013, after the riots. But, the NSA Advisory Board in Lucknow had revoked the charges and both were released on bail.

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