Bharat Biotech chairman Krishna Ella given Y category security cover
Bharat Biotech chairman Krishna Ella will be guarded by armed commandos from Central Industrial Security Force
The Centre has given "Y" category armed security cover to Krishna Ella, the chairman of Bharat Biotech, news agency PTI reported on Tuesday. Ella is also the founder of Bharat Biotech, the manufacturer of Covaxin approved in India for vaccination against Covid.
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The Hyderabad-based company is also engaged in drug discovery, drug development, manufacturing various other vaccines, bio-therapeutics, pharmaceuticals and healthcare products.
Ella will be guarded by armed commandos from Central Industrial Security Force (CISF). The officials news agency spoke to said that the security cover to Ella was provided considering his current profile.
Ella, they said, is spearheading the production of life-saving vaccines and other medical essentials. As per the report, about two-three commandos will accompany him whenever he travels to any part of the country under the "Y" category central cover.
Earlier this month, the CISF took over the security of Bharat Biotech's premises in Hyderabad. The central forces were deployed there to protect the site against "any terror threat or sabotage that may lead to a biological disaster".
A contingent of 64 personnel, headed by an inspector-rank officer of the paramilitary force, was inducted at a ceremony held at the Genome Valley in the Shameerpet area of Telangana's capital city, a CISF spokesperson said had in Delhi.
The spokesperson had said that in light of the increased threat perception to the biotechnology company, BBIL (Bharat Biotech International Limited) was inherently vulnerable to threats from anti-nationals and saboteurs. "The CISF will provide a round-the-clock armed security cover to the facility in Hyderabad," the spokesperson had said.
In April, the Centre had accorded a "Y" category security cover to Adar Poonawalla, the CEO and promoter of Serum Institute of India (SII) that manufactures the Covishield vaccine.
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