CISF set to take over security of Victoria Memorial

The Central Industrial Security Force is set to take over the security of Victoria Memorial in Kolkata. It will be guarded by about 125 CISF personnel following a sanction by the Ministry of Home Affairs that came last week.

The monument, the foundation stone of which was laid in 1906, was built in the memory of Queen Victoria. It was opened to the public in 1921.

The CISF was asked to take over the monument after a PIL filed in the Supreme Court raised questions over its security. The PIL, filed by activist Subhash Datta, said there was no inventory of the artefacts present in the museum and many were feared to have been missing in the absence of any foolproof security system. The museum is said to have a major collection of paintings, sculptures and manuscripts from the British period.

"The MHA sanctioned the deployment of the CISF at the Victoria Memorial a few days ago. We will be taking over the security soon," said CISF DG Rajiv.

A few years ago, the CISF had even done a security audit at the museum and found several loopholes in the system.

Apart from Victoria Memorial, the CISF will also move in to secure Steel Authority of India Limited plant at Jagdishpur in Amethi district of Uttar Pradesh.

"Around 150 men will be securing the SAIL plant in Jagdishpur. The authorities had asked for a security cover and the MHA has sanctioned this also," said the officer.

The CISF will also take over the security of the Port Blair port as well as Jawaharlal Nehru Bhavan in Delhi, which houses the office of the MEA.

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