Maruti may opt for CISF cover for Manesar plant

Shaken by the violent attack on its executives and rioting at its Manesar plant, Maruti Suzuki is toying with the idea of opting for additional security for its employees and production facilities.

Sources say the company may opt for deployment of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) or a permanent presence of Haryana police at its factory premises.

In case the company chooses CISF cover it would have to give a formal request in this regard to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). Only after MHA's approval would the CISF give protection to the Maruti Suzuki plant.

The CISF, unlike the state police force, will charge a logistics and personnel fee from the company -- a monetary proposition which may not be too high for the auto-maker to avoid incidents like that of last Wednesday in future.

The CISF used to provide security cover to Maruti's Gurgaon plant ever since the joint venture company was formed between the Indian government and Japan's Suzuki Motor.

The security cover was withdrawn after the government sold its majority stake in the company.

Meanwhile, Haryana Police has deployed its personnel at three other Suzuki plants in Gurgaon district.

The police contingents were deployed at Suzuki Powertrain India Ltd (SPIL) at Manesar, Suzuki Motorcycles India at Kherki Daula and Maruti Suzuki's Gurgaon plant.

The company Saturday declared an indefinite lockout at its Manesar unit and said it would not resume production till the causes of Wednesday's violence are fully investigated and identified.

Sources say the company has initiated its own fact-finding probe.