MUMBAI POLICE LOWER KHAN'S SECURITY COVERAGE

P.Vijian

NEW DELHI, June 30 (Bernama) -- In a move to slash the rising costs of
providing protection for prominent Indians, the Mumbai police have withdrawn
and downgraded security coverage for nearly 78 people, including Bollywood
heartthrob Shah Rukh Khan.

Several politicians and celebrities are usually given high-level security,
based on potential threats to their lives, which had cost the exchequer a huge
sum of money annually.

Now, Khan's security personnel has been reduced to two from the initial four
policemen.

Five Bollywood celebrities -- film producers Karan Johor, singer Himesh
Reshammiya, Firoz Nadiawala, Vivek Oberoi and Pritish Nandy -- have lost their
security cover, reported the Times of India.

The paper also revealed that the authorities spent Rs17,000 (RM1,259) a
month for each policeman assigned to protect a personality.


A high level committee, from the Mumbai police and Maharashtra Home
Ministry, which regularly reviews security for prominent figures, decided on
Tuesday that several builders, politicians and celebrities enjoyed the state's
protection despite no serious threats to them.

Others affected are reality television actor Rahul Mahajan, the suspended
Indian Premier League cricket chairman Lalit Modi's son Ruchir and daughter
Aliya.

"Our phone lines are inundated with calls from people (affected
personalities) claiming to have received fresh threats.

"Many of these claims are either plain lies or self-generated threats," said
a senior police officer, reported the Times.

--BERNAMA