The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) has been given the charge of security for the Hyderabad facility of Bharat Biotech, the producer of COVID-19 vaccine Covaxin, from 14 June, reported PTI.
Bharat Biotech is manufacturing one of the three COVID-19 vaccines – Covaxin – currently being administered in India.
A 64-member team of armed personnel of the paramilitary will secure the registered office and plant of the company located at Genome Valley in the Shameerpet area of Telangana's capital city.
After the deployment proposal was sanctioned by the Union Home Ministry, a survey of the campus was conducted by the CISF, reported PTI quoting sources. A report by India Today said the request for security cover came a month ago after which it was examined and accordingly. The cost will be borne by Bharat Biotech, added the news report.
"The organisation is an important facility when it comes to ensuring medical and health security of the country and it obviously faces a terror threat from various inimical elements. The CISF, hence, has been tasked to secure the Bharat Biotech facility in Hyderabad," an official told PTI.
After the 2008 Mumbai terror attack, the CISF was allowed to secure private installations of public importance. The force provides security cover to about 10 such facilities across the country, including the Infosys campuses in Pune and Mysuru, the Reliance IT Park in Navi Mumbai, and Yoga exponent Ramdev's Patanjali factory premises in Uttarakhand's Haridwar.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)