‘When Narendra Modi came, he brought his own bullet-proof vehicle’ PANAJI: It’s not just tourists who have Goa on their wishlist. Several VIPs such as heads of state, judges and politicians also come for a taste of the state. In fact, police data shows that every day, at least two VIPs land in Goa.Over the past three years, 1,706 VIPs visited the state for official and personal purposes. Apart from 2016, when the state hosted the BRICS summit, VIP movement is highest in Goa during Christmas and New Year.Goa police accords protection under several categories — Z+, Z, Y+, Y, X, DT, etc. Since 2016, as many as 26 presidents, prime ministers or other heads of state have visited Goa. Dignitaries who have been provided Z+ category security include the UPA chairperson, Congress president, Union ministers, etc. State ministers and judges get Y+ security.In 2016, Goa hosted the leaders of India, Russia, China, Brazil and South Africa for the BRICS summit as well as BIMSTEC leaders. Since then, Goa has hosted Indian VIPs such as Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, LK Advani, the president of India, Amit Shah, Supreme Court judges and others.Senior officers say that Goa police has no problem providing security to VIPs, but when the dignitary is entitled to a bullet-proof vehicle, the force has to send requisitions to neighbouring states.“They usually oblige, but they are sometimes unable to spare their bulletproof vehicle, and when that happens, it is difficult to provide fool-proof security,” a senior official said.When Modi, as Gujarat CM, visited the state, he came with his own bullet-proof car as Goa police didn’t have one. The force has since made a proposal to the state government to let them buy a bullet proof vehicle.A senior official, however, said that despite so many VIPs visiting the state, there hasn’t been a single incident of breach of security.

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