MUMBAI (TIP): MumbaiPolice have trimmed or withdrawn the security cover of 40 Bollywood celebrities including Aamir Khan and Shah Rukh Khan in what it called a “routine” procedure. Senior officials said the step was taken after an assessment review which revealed the Bollywood celebs were no longer facing a threat.
Shah Rukh and Aamir’s security was heightened after the Bollywood stars commented on “rising intolerance” in India. They were given armed protocol and vehicles after right-wing organisations protested their comments, Indian Express reported.
While Aamir had said his wife, Kiran Rao, wondered whether they should leave India in the face of rising intolerance, Shah Rukh had said not being secular was the worst crime as a patriot.
However, after the assessment, the Khans will now get only two armed constables shadowing them in two shifts, the daily reported.
Security has been fully withdrawn from filmmaker Vidhu Vinod Chopra, director Rajkumar Hirani, director Farah Khan and producer siblings Ali and Karim Morani.
The officials said reviewing security cover of celebrities is a routine practice and there is nothing new in it. They also pointed out that the move was aimed at trimming unwanted security cover. Only 15 Bollywood celebs will get security cover from the Mumbai Police including actors Amitabh Bachchan, Akshay Kumar and producer Mahesh Bhatt.