Patna, Feb. 12: Around 250 policemen deployed as security guards of VIPs are likely to be withdrawn in wake of the chief minister's directive to ensure legitimate use of limited resources.

Chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi holds the home portfolio.

Manjhi, during a review meeting on Monday, asked senior police officers to assess the deployment of bodyguards of the VIPs. The directive came in the wake of complaints that some influential politicians had been provided more security guards than they were entitled for.

The gun-toting men are deployed as bodyguards of MPs, MLAs, ministers, retired judges and bureaucrats across the state. Some high-profile contractors, realtors and businessmen have also been provided security cover in violation of the prescribed norms, sources in the police headquarters said.

In addition, there were many cops, who had been serving as house guards of VIPs in and outside Patna. "We are going to hold a meeting of the district security committee to assess the allocation of the security guards," Patna senior superintendent of police Jitendra Rana told The Telegraph.

He scotched the rumour that some high-profile politicians have been stripped of additional security cover, which they had been enjoying for long. "We have not withdrawn the bodyguard of any VIP till date. But the exercise will be undertaken soon in Patna," he added.

The security guards are allotted to privileged people on the recommendation of the district security committee, which comprises the district magistrate, superintendent of police and a deputy superintendent of the special branch. "Threat perception is taken into consideration while providing security cover to VIPs," a senior police officer said.

He said the state government has provided three bodyguards to each MLA/MLC in Bihar after the murder of Purnea BJP MLA Rajkishore Kesari in 2011. Earlier, they were entitled for only one constable as bodyguard. However, the case of a minister is different. He/she is entitled for a personal bodyguard in the rank of sub-inspector or assistant sub-inspector, apart from three security guards, he revealed.

The police officer said the headquarters has a list of over 250 people from various walks of life, who have been provided additional security cover. This, the police officer, admitted was a huge burden on the force already facing a manpower crunch. "We have come to known that even little-known businessmen and builders have managed a police bodyguard for themselves," the officer pointed out.

According to a rough estimate, over 5,000 policemen were engaged as bodyguards and house guards of individuals, politicians, businessmen and others. Of them, over 250 were deployed as bodyguards of the people, who don't need police protection.

"It's only pairvi (approach) and sifarish (recommendation), which matter and not the threat perception as claimed by the senior cops," an official of the state intelligence wing said.

The senior superintendents of police of Darbhanga and Gaya - Manu Maharaaj and M. Sunil Naik - recently undertook the exercise to assess the deployment of police personnel as security guards in their respective districts.

Sources said the chief minister got infuriated after being informed about misuse of security guards by a group of people and immediately asked director-general of police Pramod Kumar Thakur to ensure that excess cops were withdrawn after proper review.

He also asked to undertake periodical review of the facility.