Maha force to protect public, private properties for a charge

Security for public, private and commercial properties and even vital installations in Maharashtra will no longer come free. To reduce the burden on policemen, the state will set up the Maharashtra State Special Security Corporation, which will provide security for a charge.

Amid opposition and a walkout by the Shiv Sena, the state Legislative Council approved the Bill for the establishment and regulation of the security corporation last week.

Opposition leaders, who tore the Bill while it was being read out by minister of state for home Ramesh Bagwe, said the government ?can not create a parallel police force? in the state. Sena MLC Diwakar Raote wanted to know if the government ?has lost its trust in the policemen.?

?The minister could not answer our queries and concerns over the issues of recruitment, permission for use of arms and arrest without warrant,? Raote said when asked why they opposed the Bill.

The security corporation, which will cost the state Rs 25 crore, will protect the state and central government undertakings and on special request infrastructure projects, multiplexes, clubs, hotels, government institutions, hospitals, dams, expressways and ?other organisations with threat perception?.

The Bill says the corporation will provide ?professional services through well equipped manpower… technical consultancy services to all establishments to deal with threats emanating including those from terrorist organisations, anti-social elements and underworld criminals.? The rates for providing security will be fixed by the corporation.

The corporation will be headed by a managing director, who will be an officer of the rank of additional director general, inspector general or special inspector general. DIG or SP rank officers of Maharashtra Police will be its members. The force is likely to be made up largely of ex-servicemen, Home Guards and private security guards, who will be recruited through a proper selection process and trained. They will be called special police officers and will have the power to arrest without warrant.