Patna, Jan. 31: The state government’s seal on the proposal for extra cover to MLAs and ministers today in the wake of the murder of Purnea MLA Rajkishore Keshari has a fear factor — misuse of power like the security guard of controversial RJD MLA Surendra Prasad Yadav did yesterday by opening fire in a Gaya hospital.

The firing in hospital is just one of the several examples of VVIPs using their bodyguards for unlawful acts. A couple of days ago, the husband of a JD (U) MLA was charged with using his better half’s bodyguard to intimidate people and demand extortion.

“The bodyguards are supposed to protect the life of the person they are deputed to. We are sensitising them and even giving them regular training on how to do their job. But in some cases they have overstepped their limitation in duty,” DGP Neel Mani told The Telegraph.

He said in such cases action is taken against the police security guards. “We do not hesitate to send our own men to jail,” he said.

Speaking about the Gaya episode, the DGP claimed that the aggrieved junior doctors lodged a formal FIR against Yadav and his bodyguard on the persuasion of the police.

“We will examine the case and see if the bodyguard had opened fire to save the MLA. Right now, we have taken the bodyguard into custody,” he said, stressing that action would be initiated in accordance to the merit of the case.

The misuse of bodyguards by VVIPs has been quite frequent in Bihar. In 2005, Union minister then Jai Prakash Narayan Yadav absconded when the police wanted to arrest him on the charges of getting his brother illegally released from the police custody. So did his government bodyguard.

Former MP Sadhu Yadav allegedly beat up a senior IAS officer in his chamber for refusing to heed to his order to transfer a junior officer of a department. According to the complaint, the government bodyguard rained blows on the IAS officer.

Earlier, when the police force went to arrest former MP Md Shahbuddin from his native village Pratapur in Siwan district, a fierce crossfire continued for more than three hours. The 12 government bodyguards of Shahbuddin did join the police force but not before leaving their arms with Shahbuddin’s sharpshooters.

There have also been glaring examples of MPs, MLAs and MLCs demanding bodyguards of their own caste or their own choice. “The police force is becoming a private army,” said general secretary of the Bihar Police Association K.K. Jha, stressing that the ruling class always wanted the police to behave like slaves.

He pointed out when the Supreme Court asked the state government to amend the British Raj in September 2006, the state government came out with a more repressive act.

“Provisions such as a body to examine the misconducts of policemen by a high court judge was never made. The police force is acting in accordance to the sanskar (culture) imparted to it by the state government,” he added.