1,000 cops in VVIP custody

State government has cancelled all leave applications of police personnel because of staff shortage. However, at the same time, it has ‘lost’ the services of around 1,000 police personnel who have to provide security to 350-odd people in the city.

The city police commissioner’s office said these 350 people include judges, VIPs, and post-Godhra riot witness, who have to be provided special security cover. The state government has to spend a fortune in name of providing security cover to these people. According to police sources, of these 350 people, more than 200 are Godhra riots witnesses who have to be provided high security.

The state government spends a whopping Rs1 crore every month in providing security to the VIPs, of which around Rs40 lakh is spent on the security of witness to Godhra riots alone.

According to a source in the police commissioner’s office, most of the post-Godhra riots witnesses have been provided security cover since 2003. This followed the Supreme Court directive to the state government to provide security to these people. The witnesses had applied to the apex court asking for security.

Sources further said many of these witnesses have been provided three police personnel of constable rank for security. A constable approximately draws monthly salary of around Rs10,000. If the monthly remuneration of three constables is taken into account, the state government has to shell out Rs30,000 every month to provide security to a single witness.