Summary The police officials have termed the move necessary in order to cut out the unwanted security cover.
(Web Desk) - Mumbai police have reduced the security cover for 25 Bollywood celebrities including Amir Khan and Shah Rukh Khan.
The police officials have termed the move necessary in order to cut out the unwanted security cover.
“We were providing security to around 40 Bollywood celebrities. But now we have trimmed the list and have brought it down to around 15 personalities against whom there are genuine threat perception,” confirmed an IPS official as quoted by The Indian Express.
“A lot of manpower gets wasted in providing security to celebrities, and it is at times unwarranted. An audit was recently conducted and security of over 20 personalities have been either nixed or trimmed,” added a police source.
Aamir and Shah Rukh were provided additional security during the end of 2015 after their remarks on intolerance sparked intense and exceptional reactions from political parties and various outfits. SRK has been a target ever since his film My Name Is Khan ran into trouble in 2010.
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Aamir was provided extra cover in 2013, for the outrage against his film PK , and more so, after his intolerance remarks in November last year.
“Post their comments on intolerance, we had provided round-the-clock security to the two actors which included two armed constables and an armed guard on two shifts and an armed escort vehicle. Following the recent assessment, we have pulled out the escorts and the armed in-charge.
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Now only two armed constables will cover them in two shifts,” said a senior official.
“However, the latest assessment does not indicate any imminent threat to the actor and, hence, we have downgraded his cover,” said a senior official.
Besides this, the security cover of some of the Bollywood personalities such as Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Rajkumar Hirani, Farah Khan and producers Ali and Karim Morani have been completely removed.
However, round-the-clock security will still be provided to Akshay Kumar, Mahesh and Mukesh Bhatt, Amitabh Bachchan, Dilip Kumar and Lata Mangeshkar.
Akshay faced threats for his films Khiladi 786 and Oh My God and also faced extortion calls. The Bhatt brothers have received threats from terror outfits and underworld.
Bachchan, Dilip Kumar and Mangeshkar will be provided round-the-clock security as they are iconic figures.
