Govt downsizes Firhad Hakim's security cover, removes multi-car convoy

The high-profile security cover previously accorded to Kolkata Mayor and former minister Firhad Hakim has been significantly reduced. On Thursday morning, witnesses and municipal staff were surprised to see the Mayor arriving at the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) headquarters in his personal vehicle rather than the usual multi-vehicle security convoy. The pilot cars and specialized escort teams that had accompanied him for years have been officially withdrawn by the state home department as part of a broader review of VIP protection.

The decision to downgrade Hakim's security is part of a sweeping reassessment of threat perceptions for leaders of the outgoing Trinamool Congress (TMC) administration. Sources indicate that the number of police personnel stationed at Hakim's residence has also been curtailed, and the surveillance kiosks that once marked the high-security perimeter around his movements are being dismantled.

This move follows similar security downgrades for other prominent TMC figures, including MP Abhishek Banerjee, whose Z+ category protection was recently withdrawn. While former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee continues to receive high-level security as per established protocol for ex-CMs, other former cabinet members like Firhad Hakim, Aroop Biswas, and Sujit Bose are seeing their state-funded escorts significantly trimmed. The new administration has signaled that additional security at the state's expense will only be provided based on verified and current intelligence inputs.