Centre extends Y-plus category security to Kangana Ranaut

The decision was taken in view of renewed threat to the actor after she spoke about drug use in the film industry following Sushant Singh Rajput's death.

File photo of Kangana Ranaut | Commons

New Delhi: Bollywood actor Kangana Ranaut has been given Y-plus category security by Central security agencies and will be protected by about 10 armed commandos around the clock, Union Home ministry officials said on Monday.

The decision comes two days before Ranaut, who is in her home state Himachal Pradesh, said she plans to visit Mumbai on September 9.

She said she felt unsafe in Mumbai after the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput and also spoke of drug use in a section of the film industry.

The Home ministry has decided to accord Ranaut Y-plus category security through a paramilitary force, a ministry official said.

The Y-plus category central cover entails the deployment of about 10 armed commandos with the protectee round the clock, he explained.

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jairam Thakur on Sunday said his government decided to provide the actor security after her father and sister sought protection for her.

Officials said the Himachal Pradesh government has requested the Central government to provide security to Ranaut through a paramilitary force.

BJP leader Ram Kadam recently asked the Shiv Sena-led Maharashtra government to provide police protection to Ranaut since “she wanted to expose the Bollywood drug nexus”.

Responding to Kadam’s tweet, the actor said she feared Mumbai Police more than the “movie mafia”, and would prefer security either from Himachal Pradesh or the Centre.

Reacting strongly to her comment, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut purportedly said, “We kindly request her not to come to Mumbai. This is nothing but an insult to Mumbai Police.”

Hitting back, Ranaut tweeted, “Why is Mumbai feeling like Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir?”.

The “Queen” actor also tagged a September 1 news report on Raut asking her not to return to Mumbai if she was afraid of the city police.

Raut had on Friday urged the Maharashtra government to take action against people defaming the city police.

He also asked Ranaut to tour the PoK first to see the situation prevailing there.

In a tweet stating that she would be returning to Mumbai on September 9, Ranaut had dared anyone to stop her. Sena MLA Pratap Saranik hit back with a slap threat and said she should be arrested for sedition.

Ranaut also asked Raut to apologise for his remarks against her. Raut on Sunday said he would consider doing so only if she apologises for her “insulting” remarks against Mumbai and Maharashtra.