Mamata Banerjee's security beefed up after man carrying iron rod climbs up wall of her residence

On the intervening night of Saturday-Sunday, a person sneaked into West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's residence and remained inside until security personnel spotted him in the morning.

File photo

New Delhi: Days after a man managed to sneak into Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's residence, the West Bengal government on Tuesday (July 5, 2022) decided that police personnel posted at the state secretariat 'Nabanna' will not be allowed to use their mobile phones during duty hours, a decision that has been taken as part of measures to beef up security arrangements for the CM.

"It has been noticed that most of the time the police personnel on duty are busy on social networking sites that hamper their job. To curb this, we have decided to ban the use of mobile phones by security officials while being on duty," a top bureaucrat told news agency PTI.

The police personnel will have to deposit their mobile phones before they join their duty at 'Nabanna' and will get them back after their shift is over, he said.

The decision might also be implemented at other governmental offices.

"It is a part of tightening the security arrangements at Nabanna," he said.

More police personnel will be posted at the chief minister's residence in each shift.

"Earlier, there used to be 70 police personnel in one shift. From now on, there will be 18 more," the official said.

The administration also decided to set up additional bunkers, police pickets and a new watch tower near Banerjee's residence to tighten the security in the area, he said.

A decision has also been taken to install CCTVs at several alleys around Mamata Banerjee's residence in Kalighat, the officer said.

Earlier on the intervening night of Saturday-Sunday, one person sneaked into her residence at around 1.20 AM and remained inside until security personnel spotted him at around 8 AM. He was then arrested.

The incident triggered a security scare as questions were raised about how he went past the Z-Plus security cover and managed to enter her residence without anyone noticing.

Mamata Banerjee's security cover

Mamata Banerjee is covered by a 'Z Plus' security. The TMC chief has a 24X7 three-tier security around her residence where at least 150 police personnel and 10 commandos are deputed.

She is accompanied by at least 32 to 36 security guards.

Man intruded into Mamata Banerjee's house with iron rod

The police on Tuesday said that the man who sneaked into the Kalighat residence of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee carried an iron rod. Preliminary investigation has revealed that the man, identified as Hafizul Mollah, scaled the walls of Banerjee's house early on Sunday and remained seated at a space opposite a hall where the TMC supremo holds press conferences till he was discovered by security guards the next morning, a Kolkata Police officer said.

"He sneaked into the CM's residence, hiding an iron rod under his shirt. We are questioning him to know the purpose of carrying it with him," the officer said.

The rod had fallen on the ground when he tried to escape after being spotted by security personnel at Banerjee's residence, he said.

Though Mollah's family claimed he is mentally unstable, police still suspect his motive of entering the CM's house.

The entire episode will be reconstructed and a Special Investigating Team (SIT) has been constituted to investigate the matter, the officer said.

Investigating officers have also spoken to Mollah's father and wife to find out his medical history. Plans are afoot to examine his mental state, he said.

During interrogation, he claimed that he mistook Banerjee's residence as Kolkata Police Headquarters at Lalbazar but failed to give any plausible explanation as to why he scaled the wall of the premises and for what reason he wanted to visit the police headquarters at that hour.

(With inputs from PTI)