Comrades with Z-plus security cover

KOZHIKODE: Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar and Jammu and Kashmir CPM secretary Mohammed Yusuf Tarigami, the lone MLA of the party from the state, are the two VIPs among the 789 delegates in the ongoing 20th CPM Party Congress who enjoy Z plus category security cover.Kerala Opposition Leader V S Achuthanandan comes under Z category while his counterpart in West Bengal Sooryakant Mishra is provided Y category security.Tarigami is in the hit list of terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba and several attempts have been made on his life by the terrorists. In January 2006, terrorists shot dead Tarigami’s nephew in an apparent reprisal attack for the politician’s opposition to Islamists in the state.Earlier, in October 2005,Lashkar-e-Taiba’s assault squad had attacked Tarigami’s residence in Srinagar. His security personnel was killed in the attack and Tarigami had a miraculous escape. Tarigami, along with Manik Sarkar, has been provided 24X7 security cover including a guard with 303 rifle and one escort and pilot vehicle.“Manik Sarkar has been escorted by two Personal Security Officers (PSO) from Tripura while one PSO with Jammu and Kashmir police is accompanying Tarigami. Apart from this, the Kerala police is providing tight security as per the norms at the party congress venue and the hotels where they are staying,” said a senior official with the Special Branch.As per the data available from the Special Branch, Kerala Police is providing security to 12 delegates, who have arrived at Kozhikode for the party meet, apart from Opposition Leader V S Achuthanandan as per the norms prescribed by the Central Government. In this, the Z category members entail security cover by police officers and one escort vehicle.In Y category, it encompasses two security officers.Police personnel with the Armed Reserve Camp, Kozhikode, have been deployed for the security duty along with the citypolice. A total of nine senior officers including an Assistant Commandant, SIs and Reserved Sub Inspectors are pressed into the security duty. Of the 55 Civil Police officials, 39 are assigned the duty of security to the delegates and 16 personnel have been deployed in the guard duty to the delegates in their hotels and guest houses, said AR Camp officials.