Imphal, December 28 2008: A TEAM of Manipur police left Imphal for procurement of eight bullet resistance vehicles which cost Rs.10 lakhs each for using by the VIPs including the chief minister, O Ibobi and his wife Landhoni who is also an MLA of the state Assembly, official source said Sunday.

Process for buying five more bullet proof vehicles costing Rs.48.29 lakhs for using in the VVIPs movement is also under progress, the source added.

Meanwhile, Union ministry of home affairs has instead of National Security Guard agreed to provide protection to the Manipur chief minister O Ibobi by the Special Security Guard (SSG) of the Central Industrial Security Forces.

With this, the commandant of the SSG SK Mallick has asked the state authorities to provide accommodation and infrastructures for the deployment of the SSG, source said.

The state home department has been insisting the Union ministry of home affairs to protect the state chief minister by the NSG personnel in the wake of attacks on the chief minister's bungalow and repeated open threats on him from the militants.

Official source Sunday said that Union ministry of home affairs has agreed to the sending of a section of 75 personnel strength including three ladies and a supervising officer (SO).

The CISF authority also asked the state authority to develop suitable accommodation like kitchen, dining hall for the said personnel.

The CISF (SSG) commandant, SK Mallick also asked for providing two bullet resistant vehicles and four coinsurance tata safaris, one jammer with technical support, a BDDS timer with equipments, three multi ferash DFMD, one X-BIS, 10 night vision binoculars, two light machine guns, 10 bullet proof vests.

The infrastructures for the accommodation of the SSG personnel are to be stationed at the Imphal Tulihal Airport where CISF men are camping for protecting the airport, the source said.

MHA agreed to the proposal of the state home department after the CISF commandant submitted an assessment report on the security of the chief minister, O Ibobi Singh which he make during his three day visit to the state from December 19 to 21 .

Mention may be made that SK Mallick during his camping in Imphal conducted a survey on the security of the state chief minister with special consideration on the state government proposal of protecting the chief minister by the National Security Guard, NSG.

Manipur government has also ordered for buying eight Mahindra Rakshak brand bullet proof vehicles at a cost of Rs.10 lakhs each.

Out of the eight vehicles, it includes one each for the chief minister, O Ibobi, his wife Landhoni who is also an MLA and for state DGP.

The remaining five are for other police officers of below the rank of the DGP.

A police team has left yesterday for the procurement of the vehicles from the M/S Mahendra Defense System Tours 2-A, Bikaji Cama, New Delhi, the source said.

Government has also proposal of buying five more bullet proof cars of high great quality costing Rs.45,29,986 per vehicle for use by the VVIPs.

For this state home department has earmarked Rs.2,41,49,932 for buying the vehicles, the source said adding that the process for procurement will be completed within the next two weeks.

On the other hand, after the bomb explosion inside the Imphal Raj Bhavan last on December 21 late evening, the secretary to the Governor has called up the state PWD chief engineer and asked to high up the RCC wall around the Raj Bhavan with barked wire fencing, official source said.

The security in and around the Imphal Raj Bhavan and Chief Minister Bungalow and other installation located around these two locations have been tighten up since the last two days after state intelligence network alarmed the police on the possible attacks from the PREPAK and KCP (MC) militants who are behind the recent attacks to the chief minister's bungalow and Raj Bhavan.

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