Mumbai Police has reduced security for Aamir Khan and Shah Rukh Khan and done away with protection for some other Bollywood personalities after a threat assessment review. However, the police will continue to provide round-the-clock security for Akshay Kumar, Mahesh and Mukesh Bhatt, Amitabh Bachchan, Dilip Kumar and Lata Mangeshkar, The Indian Express has reported.
Police said the decision was taken after a review showed that Aamir and SRK no longer face any threat and therefore a high degree of security for them was "unwanted".
Aamir and Shah Rukh were earlier provided additional security because after they spoke out against "growing intolerance", there were extremely angry reactions from some political parties and other outfits.
SRK has also been a target since his film 'My Name Is Khan' ran into trouble in 2010 and later, when terrorist Hafiz Saeed offered the actor asylum in Pakistan in 2013. Aamir was provided extra security in 2013, for the outrage against his film 'PK', and even more so, after his remarks about 'intolerance' last November.
Bollywood personalities whose security cover has been completely removed are Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Rajkumar Hirani, Farah Khan and producers Ali and Karim Morani.
Akshay has faced threats for his films 'Khiladi 786' and 'Oh My God'. He's also received extortion calls, allegedly from the underworld. The Bhatt brothers have received threats from terror groups as well as the underworld.
Bachchan, Dilip Kumar and Mangeshkar will continue to be be provided round-the-clock security as they are iconic figures.
Mumbai police, after its annual assessment on threat cover, has decided to take this move. Speaking to IndiaToday, a senior police official said, "It was needed to nix unwanted security cover to these celebrities. We have taken this decision and would get it implemented at the earliest."
Recently, an audit was conducted by Mumbai police on security cover given to celebrities.
Reacting to the audit, Mumbai Police said, "Post their (Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan)comments on intolerance, we have 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. Now only two armed constables will cover them in two shifts."
Sources says, the security cover of Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Raj Kumar Hirani, Farah Khan, Karim Morani and few others have been withdrawn completely.
Those 15 personalities who would be getting the security cover includes Akshay Kumar, Mahesh Bhatt and Mukesh Bhatt, Amitabh Bachchan, Dilip Kumar, Lata Mangeshkar.
No comments :
Post a Comment