NEW DELHI, Nov 18 (Agencies) : The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has given its nod for Z-category security cover to Baba Ramdev after receiving information that the Haridwar-based Yoga guru, who had campaigned for the ruling BJP during 2014 Lok Sabha Polls, was ‘vulnerable to attacks from opponents’.

The new entrant to the elite group of VVIPs, covered under Central Protectees, Baba was earlier provided with similar Z-category cover of the Uttarakhand Police. The decision to move Baba from state cover to Central Z-security was based on intelligence inputs, which suggested that he was facing serious threats from ‘opponents’ and his movements had to be secured by Central forces, which have better coordination.

Baba was given Z-level cover by the state police in 2011 by the state BJP regime. “There is no upgradation, but the Central cover is more elaborate and effective. Besides trained personnel guarding the protectee 24X7, the coordination with states during travel becomes the responsibility of the MHA and the IB,” an official said.

Sources said the Protection Review Group and Security Categorisation Committee in the MHA had examined the issue in October, besides reviewing security cover of several other Central protectees.