Baba Siddique News: The X, Y and Z of VIP security categories in India explained. Who gets what and on what basis?

The security of Baba Siddique was beefed up to the ‘Y’ category after he had received the threat to his life – 15 days before his murder on Saturday night in Mumbai.

Siddique, a former Maharashtra minister and member of Ajit Pawar's faction of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), was shot near Nirmal Nagar in Bandra and later succumbed to injuries at Lilavati Hospital late Saturday night.

Leaders in the opposition camp – in poll-bound Maharashtra – including the Congress party have demanded the resignation of chief minister Eknath Shinde and his deputies, Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, asking how the government would protect common people if they couldn't protect a political leader with a 'Y' category security cover.

The 'Y' category is one of the many levels of security coverage provided in India. Security protection is provided to prominent individuals based on their threat perception. The decision on the security level is arrived at after intelligence agencies assess the threat to the person.

The Different Security Levels

The security levels in ascending order are X, Y, Y-plus, Z, Z-plus and the Special Protection Group (SPG), according to the report of the Bureau of Police Research and Development of Union Home Ministry.

Mint looks at security cover provided to various personalities by the government of India.

Special Protection Group (SPG)

A specialised security force in India, the SPG provides protection to the Prime Ministers and their immediate family members. It consists of 3,000 security personnel and a squad of highly trained dogs.

The group was raised in 1985 after the assassination of then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. It was established in 1988 by an Act of the Indian Parliament.

Earlier, the SPG provided protection to the Prime Minister, the former Prime Ministers, and their immediate family members for a period decided by the government based on threat assessments. After Rajiv Gandhi's assassination in 1991, Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi used to have SPG protection.

But, after the 2019 amendment to the SPG Act, the protection was limited to only the incumbent Prime Minister and the immediate family.

Z-plus, Z-category

The next level of security after SPG is the Z-plus category, which is meant for individuals such as prominent politicians, business leaders, or other VIPs who face significant threats.

Around the clock, a person who gets Z-plus security is protected by at least 55 personnel, along with CRPF commandos. There is also additional protection of National Security Guard (NSG) commandos if needed, based on intelligence inputs. The security cover also includes a bulletproof vehicle and escort in three shifts.

The commandos in the Z-plus security force receive expert martial arts and unarmed combat training. Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Union Finance Minister, and others have Z-Plus security cover.

The Z-category is the third-highest level of security. The protection cover includes 22 personnel, along with commandos and police personnel. Under this category, a private individual pays for the security cover. Baba Ramdev and actor Aamir Khan have been given Z-category security protection.

Union Minister Chirag Paswan's security cover has just been increased to the Z category after the Union Home Ministry green-lit the decision earlier in the year.

Y-plus, Y category security

The Y-plus security includes 11 personnel: two Personal Security Officers (PSOs) and other armed policemen. This security category is often provided to individuals deemed at a moderate risk. The exact composition of the security detail may vary based on the specific threat assessment.

In September 2020, central security agencies gave Bollywood actor and now BJP MP Kangana Ranaut Y-plus category security. The Y category is a security detail of 8 personnel, including 1 or 2 commandos and police personnel.

 Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri, director of The Kashmir Files, have been given Y-category protection.

The X category is a security detail of 2 personnel, with no commandos but only armed police personnel.