delhi

Updated: Jun 08, 2017 10:35 IST

Delhi Police have provided Y-category security cover to suspended Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and former Delhi minister Kapil Mishra after assessing his threat perception.

As per the security protocol, Mishra has been provided two personal security officers (PSOs), who will remain with him round-the-clock. Besides this, four constables led by a security supervisor have been deployed at his home.

The rebel AAP MLA said he did not make any formal request for security cover. “The police might have done an interval review of the security situation based on their intelligence input. I came to know about the deployment only when the guards reported for duty,” Mishra told HT.

Sources said that the decision to provide security to Mishra was done following an internal assessment the police department carried out keeping in mind the previous attacks and threats on Mishra.

Last month, Ankit Bhardwaj, an alleged AAP supporter, attacked Mishra at his home in north Delhi’s Civil Lines, where he sat on a satyagraha after levelling graft charges against Chief Minister Arvind Kajriwal. A week ago, Mishra was roughed up by party legislators and was dragged out of the Delhi Assembly by marshals during a special session.

Mishra later claimed that he was attacked on the orders of deputy CM Manish Sisodia. He even filed a police complaint in which he accused Sisodia of allegedly instigating MLAs Madan Lal, Jarnail Singh and Amanatullah Khan for attacking him inside the Assembly with the sole intention to kill him.

A senior security departmental officials said that one of the PSOs will be armed with INSAS rifle, while the other will carry a pistol. As per the Union home ministry’s guidelines, categories of security covers are divided into four tiers: Z-plus (highest level), Z, Y and X.

Y-category security cover is mainly provided to judges of Supreme Court, high court, ministers, speakers of state assemblies and even to a civilian on the recommendations of courts and states, depending on the threat perception to the person.

“Mishra automatically got Y-category security cover when he became a minister in Delhi government. However, the security was withdrawn when he was suspended by the party. His threat perception was reviewed following intelligence inputs we received about possible attacks on him,” said an officer, adding that 11 security personnel have been deployed in Mishra’s security cover.