AIZAWL: The Mizoram Police denied the claims made by the opposition Congress allegeing that the department had bought three Mahindra Thars for the personal use of the Chief Minister.
The Congress had alleged that the cars were bought for Rs 51 lakh and accused the government of wasting public money.
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A statement issued by police said that the three Thar were SUVs bought by Mizoram Police specifically for CM security and not for his personal use as alleged.
The statement read that according to the Government of India’s table of precedence, chief ministers are placed in the seventh position and they are accorded Z+ security cover.
The chief minister’s convoy is led by two pilot cars and is followed by escort motors and Tail cars, it said.
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The vehicles used in CM’s convoy are not under his possession but provided by the police department for security-related matters.
The department further said that in general Maruti Suzuki’s Gypsy is used for pilot and tail cars and Mahindra Bolero for escort motors.
However, the vehicles currently used in CM’s convoy have become not only very old but have also malfunctioned on three occasions recently.
The department added that apart from these issues, the Gypsy models are no more manufactured.
Hence, the police department had to purchase three Mahindra Thar SUVs for CM security escort, police said in the statement.