New Delhi, Feb. 7: Ashish Kumar Mitra has been appointed chief of the National Security Guard.

Mitra, a 1970 batch IPS officer was last posted as additional director-general in the Border Security Force. He had joined the BSF on deputation in 2002 and was posted in Calcutta as additional DG (east). He has also held charge in the BSF as inspector general, Assam frontier.

The Uttar Pradesh cadre officer takes charge as the head of the crack commando force at a time when moves are afoot to withdraw the NSG from VIP security duties and let the commandos concentrate on their main task, anti-terrorism. The force had been entrusted with VIP security in the initial stages as a stopgap arrangement. But the ?Black Cats? became such a ?status symbol? that those they guarded did not want to let go of them.

A move to withdraw NSG cover from Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mulayam Singh Yadav late last year had to be aborted when the state government lodged a protest with home minister Shivraj Patil. Officials, however, say if things go according to plan, the NSG should be free of VIP security duty by the middle of next year. But officials concede that the implementation of this plan will depend on the noises made by politicians who enjoy NSG cover.