The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) on Monday took over the security of Bharat Biotech International Ltd's facility in Hyderabad to protect it against any terror threat or sabotage that may lead to a biological disaster. The CISF deployed 64 personnel headed by an Inspector-rank officer as part of the security for Bharat Biotech, the developer and manufacturer of Covaxin, India's first indigenously-developed vaccine for COVID-19. The contingent of the paramilitary force was inducted at a ceremony held at the facility located in Genome Valley, the cluster of biotechnology companies.

 

Bharat Biotech Chairman and Managing Director Dr Krishna Ella, Joint Managing Director Dr Suchitra Ella, CISF Inspector General in-charge of the southern sector Anjana Sinha, and Deputy IG, South Zone-II, Shyamala Dinavahi attended the induction ceremony. The CISF flag was unfurled on Bharat Biotech campus on the occasion.

 

The CISF will control access to the facility and its armed troopers, including a vehicle-borne quick response team (QRT), will be stationed at vantage positions in case of a terrorist attack or sabotage. The cost of the security will be borne by the company. The decision to provide CISF security was taken recently in view of the increased threat perception to Bharat Biotech as the biotechnology company is considered vulnerable to threats from saboteurs.

 

On the direction of the Union Home Ministry to provide armed security cover to the premises of Bharat Biotech, CISF officials recently carried out a survey of the facility. Bharat Biotech is the 11th private facility to get CISF security since the government took a decision to use its services to provide security cover to important installations in the private sector following the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks. The Infosys campuses in Bengaluru, Pune and Mysuru, the Reliance Corporate IT Park in Navi Mumbai and yoga guru Ramdev's Patanjali factory premises in Uttarakhand's Haridwar are among the private facilities guarded by the CISF.