515 NSG commandos protect 16 VIPs

NEW DELHI: 515 NSG commandos protect the country's 16 VIPs who are all politicians, including Home Minister Rajnath Singh, L K Advani and Mulayam Singh Yadav.

Minister of State for Home Haribhai Parathibhai Choudhury said the National Security Guard is primarily a counter- terrorism force.

"However, NSG has also been tasked with providing security to 16 protectees. The number of NSG security personnel deployed on VIP security is 515 as on February 1, 2016," he said replying to a written question in Lok Sabha.

Other politicians who are being protected by NSG commandos include Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, Chhattisgarh CM Raman Singh, Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, AGP leader Prafulla Kumar Mahanta and BSP supremo Mayawati.