Maoist threat to PM Modi: Why penetrating security cover is almost impossible

Did you know? Background checks of not just security personnel close to Indian PM but checks of their immediate and extended family members are also undertaken before they are deputed.

New Delhi: Pune Police recently revealed that they intercepted a letter in which Maoists are considering an assassination bid on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The letter - dated April 18 of 2017 - was released on Friday by the cops and is addressed to a Maoist leader named Prakash and is signed 'R'. In it, ways and means to launch a dastardly attack is put forth.

Assassinating the Indian Prime Minister though is no walk in the proverbial park. Like any Head of State, PM Modi enjoys an extensive, exhaustive and almost impenetrable security cover that is second to none. Little surprise then that even the Maoist letter admits the task could be almost impossible.

So what is it that makes the security of the Indian Prime Minister absolutely watertight?

1) The Indian PM is always surrounded by highly-trained and extremely alert personnel of Special Protection Group (SPG). The PM - especially during public events - is surrounded by a number of SPG personnel whose selection is one of the toughest and involves a thorough background check of not just them but their immediate and extended families.

2) The personal security cover forms the second layer of security for the Indian Prime Minister. Like SPG personnel, these men too are highly trained to perceive possible threats by assessing a number of factors including body movements of people nearby and their gestures and expressions.

3) The third security cover is provided by commandos of National Security Guard. Once again, they are deployed for providing cover to the PM only after a gruelling training session and after an exhaustive background check.

4) The fourth layer is manned by personnel from paramilitary forces and police officials of different state units. When the Indian PM is visiting a particular state, it is the responsibility of the state's police machinery to provide the outer cover and ensure no untoward incident happens anywhere close to the VVIP.

Besides human security cover, the Indian Prime Minister also moves around in vehicles and aircraft which are specially designed to withstand any form of aerial or land-based attacks, as well as tackle chemical and biological threats.

Therefore, while Indian PMs in the past like Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi have died due to extremely unfortunate assassinations, time, technology and experience has ensured that safety of an Indian PM now is paramount and quite capable of neutralising threats.