Punjab Lifts Security Detail for Kejriwal After Slugfest

The Punjab Police on Thursday said it withdrew a component of security deployed by it as part of the Z+ detail guarding former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, after questions from the Delhi Police and instructions from the Election Commission.

- Karam Prakash

PATIALA:

The decision – which was made public weeks before the assembly elections in Delhi – sparked a political controversy; the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) said it was a shameful move and the Bharatiya Janata Party hit back, saying the decision on withdrawal of security cover to anyone is an administrative decision taken by government officers.

The AAP has been in power in Punjab since 2022.

"From time to time, we would get reports (inputs) of threats against Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann and former Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal. Consequent upon that we had been sharing such information to the concerned agencies (security agencies). Today, after directions from the Delhi Police and Election Commission, we have withdrawn Punjab security from Arvind Kejriwal's security cover. We will continue to share inputs with Delhi Police," said Punjab director general of police Gaurav Yadav.

Additional DGP security, Punjab, SS Srivastava said both Mann and Kejriwal were Punjab's Z+ security protectees.

"Some components of Punjab were participating in the security duties of Arvind Kejriwal in Delhi but after the concern raised by Delhi Police, we have withdrawn our component," he added.

Kejriwal is a Z+ protectee with 63 personnel.