GUWAHATI: The Union government ordered the complete withdrawal of National Security Guard (NSG) commandos from VIP security duties on Wednesday, October 16.
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As per orders from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) is set to preside over guard duties, as they will be responsible for protecting nine “high-risk” VIPS. Some of the VIPs include Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, veteran BJP leader L.K. Advani, and Union Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal.
To accommodate this transition, the MHA has sanctioned a new battalion of specially trained personnel, recently withdrawn from Parliament security, to join the CRPF’s VIP security wing. The CRPF currently has six battalions dedicated to VIP security, with the seventh battalion now tasked with this high-profile protection.
This move follows years of planning, with the government prioritising the deployment of NSG strike teams in high-risk areas such as the Ram temple in Ayodhya and critical southern locations. Approximately 450 NSG commandos are expected to be freed up for these specialised operations once the transition is complete in November.
The decision to relieve the NSG from VIP duties is part of a larger restructuring plan, aimed at refocusing the NSG on its primary mandate of counter-terrorism and counter-hijack operations.
