Having accomplished challenging task of guarding the Mumbai terror attack accused Ajmal Kasab, the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) will soon call back its specially-trained personnel who were till now guarding the Pakistan national in the Arthur Road prison in Mumbai.
As many as 200 ITBP personnel, who were specially trained to guard Kasab, were moved to the high-security Arthur Road jail in March 2009 when the LeT operative was lodged in a cell specially made for him. To protect Kasab, the government spent almost Rs.35 crore or Rs.77 lakh per month on the security of the 26/11 terrorist.
According to a senior Ministry of Home Affairs official, as per procedure, the ITBP will be asked to “de-induct” or call back the personnel as the task designated to the contingent was over. The MHA will ask the Maharashtra government to send a formal notice in this regard. Notably, the central para-military force was deployed to protect Kasab following a request from the state government.
The money being spent on providing security to Kasab was widely criticised. Apart from around Rs.77 lakh monthly expenditure incurred by the ITBP, hefty amount was also spent by the Maharashtra police and jail authorities to provide security to the Pakistani terrorist. A special cell was constructed inside the Authur Road jail complex to keep Kasab away from the reach of other inmates, while latest gadgetry was used to keep round-the-clock vigil on the terrorist.
