CISF takes charge of Indian Museum's security

Kolkata: After Taj Mahal, Red Fort, Delhi's National Museum, Salar Jung Museum in Hyderabad and Victoria Memorial Hall, now it is the turn of the Indian Museum of Kolkata to get the security of Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel.

"The security of its visitors and the precious artefacts have been a huge challenge and concern. The safety of the museum has been maintained by the Calcutta Police and its staff. I express my gratitude to the Calcutta Police for their dedication. The CISF, an iconic institution which guards our wide security facilities and restorations, will carry out its work efficiently with commitments, zeal and passion," said Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar, while gracing the occasion of CISF security deployment at the Indian Museum on Monday.

Indian Museum director Arijit Dutta Choudhury and education officer of the Indian Museum Sayan Bhattacharya were also present during the occasion.

"The CISF personel will provide round-the-clock armed security cover to the museum. They control the overall access to the facility and vehicle-borne quick-reaction teams of commandos will also be stationed at vantage points to respond in case of an attack or sabotage-like activity at the facility," said A N Mahapatra, inspector general of CISF, SES, HQ.

The 59 CISF personnel will entirely replace 49 personnel of a private agency and 3 Assistant Sub-Inspectors (ASI) and 9 constables of Kolkata Police, who are presently in charge of the museum's security.

Museum authorities had constructed barracks for lodging of CISF personnel in the vacant space beside the Ashutosh Centenary Hall located on the premises of the Indian Museum.

"The service of the CISF personnel started at the Indian Museum today. Since we are new, the private security will help to us till December 31. There will be three shifts of the CISF personnel," said CISF Group Commandant Zhoponeyi Zuo.

The Indian Museum has 1.08 lakhs artefacts in its collection and only 5 percent of them are on display.

The concern over security at Victoria Memorial and Indian Museum was raised way back in 2004 by environmentalist Subhas Datta, after a Buddha sandstone bust was stolen from the Indian museum. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had taken up investigation of the case but was unable to make any breakthrough.

The matter had reached the Supreme Court, which had prodded the Centre for deployment of CISF security at both Victoria Memorial and Indian Museum.