National

Buddhadeb’s security to be tightened

KOLKATA:The West Bengal government is working on upgrading security for Chief Minister, Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, and other VIPs, particularly during visits to those parts of the State considered vulnerable to extremist activity. A blueprint is also being prepared to counter ultra-Left militancy more effectively.

This comes in the wake of the blast at Kalaichandi in Paschim Mednipur district on Sunday shortly after Mr. Bhattacharjee’s convoy had passed the area.

A police jeep belonging to the convoy of Union Steel Minister, Ram Vilas Paswan, had been severely damaged in the blast. The Union Minister of State for Steel, Jitin Prasada was also in the area then.

The incident has raised the threat-level and forced the police administration to take a fresh look at the security of the Chief Minister and VIPs in areas where ultra-Left extremists are known to be active, the State’s Director General of Police, A.B. Vohra, said here on Tuesday.

The police are now certain that Maoist extremists were behind the incident at Kalaichandi and ways to neutralize their activities in regions where they have a presence were discussed at a meeting of top State and police officials that was convened by the Chief Minister.

There will be a qualitative upgrade in the bullet-proof vehicles used by the Chief Minister and other VVIPs and a toning up of security in general in sensitive areas.

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