Punjab Police to withdraw additional security provided to Arvind Kejriwal
New Delhi/IBNS: The Punjab Police has decided to withdraw additional security cover provided to former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal after its national capital counterpart objected to it and complained to the Election Commission.
"Time to time, we get reports of threats to chief minister Bhagwant Mann and Arvind Kejriwal and we share them with the concerned agencies. Following the directions of the Delhi police and the Election Commission today, we withdrew the component of the Punjab police in the security of Kejriwal ji," Director General of Punjab Police Gaurav Yadav told reporters in Patiala.
"We showed our concerns to them. We will remain in touch with them. We will share our inputs with the Delhi police," the top police officer said.
The decision comes ahead of the elections for the 70-member Delhi Assembly on February 5. The votes will be counted on February 8.
Kejriwal, who gets a Z-plus security, has a comprehensive protection detail comprising 63 personnel, including a pilot, escort teams, close protection staff, and search-and-frisk units.
Additionally, 15 uniformed personnel from the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) are deployed for his protection.
On January 18, a stone was hurled at Kejriwal's car, which the AAP blamed on the BJP, as he was campaigning in his New Delhi constituency.
The BJP claimed that the AAP leader's car hit two BJP workers.