Under Z-category security, Ambani will be assigned a pilot and escort vehicles. Twenty-two commandos -- armed with sophisticated weapons -- will guard Ambani on a rotational basis in Mumbai and during his travel to other parts of the country.

The Union Home Ministry has approved Z-category protection for Mukesh Ambani. The Reliance Industries Chairman will now be guarded by an armed squad of commandos from the Central Reserve Police Force. The security detail was approved -- in less than two months -- after a threat letter, purportedly from the Indian Mujahideen, was hand-delivered at his office in Mumbai.

The handwritten English letter demanded the release of an IM operative named 'Danish', threatened to harm Ambani, and damage his Antilia residence. Though the letter did not carry the IM logo, nor did it mention Danish's full name, the alias in the past has been used by three men arrested in various cases. The letter cited support to Chief Minister Narendra Modi and huge investments in Gujarat as reason for him being targeted.

Under Z-category security, Ambani will be assigned a pilot and escort vehicles. Twenty-two commandos -- armed with sophisticated weapons -- will guard Ambani on a rotational basis in Mumbai and during his travel to other parts of the country.

Till a few days back, the Mumbai Police were studying a proposal sent by Ambani's office to set up a police chowki at his sprawling residence. Post today's development, one wonders whether the plan will fructify.

This will be the first instance of CRPF providing such security to a private person. In the past, it has extended similar cover to government functionaries in Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab.

The CRPF is currently pre-occupied with anti-Naxal operations. The moot question one needs to ask is whether commandos trained in jungle warfare should be diverted to VIP security when they are sorely needed to fight the spread of naxalism

Source: India Infoline