CRPF claims security protocol 'violations' by Rahul Gandhi citing 'unscheduled' foreign trips

New Delhi: The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has flagged certain security protocol "violations" allegedly by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi during his movements, official sources said.

The CRPF VIP security wing provides a 'Z plus (ASL)' armed protection to the 55-year-old Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha.

Around 10-12 armed CRPF commandos provide a proximate security cover to him whenever he is mobile.

As part of the Advanced Security Liaison (ASL), the force carries out an early reconnaissance of the locations to be visited by Gandhi.

The sources said the VIP security unit of the paramilitary force has sent a letter to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, stating certain "unscheduled movements without intimation" by Gandhi during his domestic visits as well as before he left for abroad.

The sources said such communication was "routine" in nature and had been sent by the CRPF security wing in the context of Gandhi's security in the past too.

The force has underlined that such unannounced movements pose a "risk" to the security of the "high risk" VIP, adding that stipulated guidelines should be followed mandatorily by the protectee and his staff.

It is also understood to have furnished the guidelines to be followed, as stipulated in the central 'yellow book' for VIP security, and the need to keep the security wing in the loop all the time.