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Home Ministry reverses order; CISF back for CGO security

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Press Trust of India New Delhi
The Union Home Ministry has reversed its decision and re-deployed CISF troops for guarding the Central Government Offices (CGO) complex in the heart of the national capital which is high on terror radar.

"CISF are back for CGO security duties," a senior official said, confirming the move of re-induction of the central paramilitary, four days after it was asked to withdraw.

The Union Home Ministry had ordered withdrawl of CISF personnel from the midnight of August 31 and sources privy to the development had claimed some of the officials in the ministry were trying to rope in a private security agency for such duties.
 

The Delhi Police, in the meanwhile, were tasked to guard the complex which houses several sensitive departments including the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) and IAF's air intelligence unit.

The departments and ministries within the CGO complex, especially the New and Renewable Energy Sources Ministry, had opposed the move to withdraw the paramilitary.

New and Renewable Energy Ministry has shot off letters to the Home Ministry saying such a move would only add to the threat perception for its minister Farooq Abdullah.

Several paramilitary forces, which have their headquarters in the CGO complex, also disapproved withdrawal of the CISF contingent deployed since 2007.

CISF have now re-deployed its original strength of 80 personnel for guarding the complex and has been asked by the Home Ministry to carry out a survey of the actual number of men and women needed to secure the complex.

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First Published: Sep 04 2013 | 8:26 PM IST

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