Within three months of the security review committee deciding to withdraw 10 policemen on security duty with health minister Vishwajit Rane, director general of police Aditya Arya reverted the decision and sent the men in uniform back to guard the minister. The Goa police security review committee that examines threat perception to politicians with the help of inputs from the intelligence bureau and home department had given Rane 'Y' category security according to which, he should have been given two police security officers (PSOs). Rane, however, has 23 policemen guarding him, when VIPs with 'Z' category security are given 14 personnel. The number of policemen guarding Rane is almost equal to the policemen protecting Goa's coastline. The number of policemen manning the coastline from Benaulim to Pollem at the Mobor coastal police station and Vasco coast at Harbour coastal police station is 26 each. This includes the police inspector and sub-inspectors. Sources said the security review committee met on May 19 and decided to withdraw excess staff appointed to protect politicians. "It was found that except Rane, who had an excess number of police staff posted with him, others had just two PSOs. Therefore, on May 25, after the Balli violence it was decided to withdraw 10 policemen posted with Rane," sources said. On August 18, as per the DGP's instructions police restored seven policemen to Rane for security duty. "The DGP ordered restoration of police staff that was temporarily withdrawn from Rane," a senior police official said. Sources said the decision was taken after Rane complained of miscreants stopping his vehicle at Baga. When contacted, Rane said, "My staff was never withdrawn. They were sent for training. Whenever there is a law and order problem, the police have a right to withdraw its staff and deploy them back once the situation returns to normal. I have no issues as safeguarding a citizen's life is more important than protecting a minister." Even as politicians in the state continue to ask for, and get, security cover, although they face no security threat, the ratio of police to population in the state in July 2008 was 1:339. The number of police personnel guarding the state's 12 ministers, speaker and deputy speaker crosses 180, much more than the number of policemen posted at any single police station in Goa. Though the security review committee examines threat perception to politicians, most politicians manage to get protection merely on the strength of their political clout. "In Goa, security cover is not a matter of threat perception, but of prestige. The more security men you have, the more powerful you appear before the public," said a top police official. Chief minister Digambar Kamat, who has 'Z' plus category has the maximum number of security officers-58. The numbers of cops with home minister Ravi Naik and speaker Pratapsingh Rane, who have also been given 'Z' plus security, are 25 and 35 respectively, though as per rules, a person with 'Z' plus security is allocated 30 policemen.
