Security withdrawn for Tennis Star Sania Mirza

By U Sudhakar Reddy
Hyderabad, May 31: The city police has withdrawn the two gunmen deputed to give security cover to tennis star, Ms Sania Mirza, after she failed to pay the user fee of more than Rs 2 lakh. Other VIPs including film star, Dr Rajashekhar, and former Wakf Board chairperson and Telugu Desam leader, Mr Mohammed Saleem, also lost their gunmen since the security review committee felt they no longer faced threats.
However, superstar, Chiranjeevi, was allowed to retain his gunman as he was paying the user fee. In Ms Mirza’s case, there was disagreement among the top police officers on whether the gunmen should be withdrawn over the issue of pending user fee. While some senior cops felt that Ms Mirza should be provided security on the state’s expense since she was a prized champ, others felt that she ought to pay.
The ‘user fee’ lobby carried the day and police issued notices to Ms Mirza asking her to pay the arrears. The joint commissioner of police (security), Mr Kripanand Tripathi Ujala, said notices would be issued again to the tennis star to collect the arrears. "The review commit didn’t recommend her case stating that there is no threat perception to her now," said Ujala.
Ms Mirza was given gunmen for more than nine months and she was meant to pay Rs 25,000 per month. The City Security Wing is providing security to 143 persons. In all, 16 VIPs, mostly film stars, politicians and media barons, are paying user fee for the gunmen.
"Personal security officers are provided only on the basis of genuine threat," said Mr Ujala. "We are also reviewing the threat perception from time to time." Police sources added that the VIPs had to pay a fee of Rs 12,000 for each gunman. "This is equal to a salary of a constable rank officer," said the source.
However, Mr Saleem objected to his security cover being withdrawn and said that he still needed it. "I am a businessman and politician," he said. "I have been paying the user fee on time regularly."