KATHMANDU: Indian actress Kangana Ranaut who is in her home state Himachal Pradesh and plans to visit Mumbai on September 9, has been given Y-plus category security and will be protected by about 10 armed commandos according to India's Union Home ministry officials.

Ranaut had likened Mumbai to Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir and that she feared the Mumbai Police. Her comments led to a spat with Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut, and said she felt unsafe in Mumbai after the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput and also spoke of drug use in a section of the film industry.

According to PTI, Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh Jai Ram Thakur welcomed the decision. He said, “I have got information that an 11-member commando team of the CRPF has been provided by the Ministry of Home Affairs for her security yesterday. I welcome this decision and also express my gratitude to union home minister... her security is important for us."

Y-plus category central cover entails the deployment of about 10 armed commandos with the protectee around the clock, as per PTI.

The chief minister added in his statement that Himachal Pradesh police would provide security at the actor’s Manali residence and he had directed the director general of police to assess the security threat. “If it is necessary, Himachal Pradesh is ready to provide her security during her tours,” PTI quoted Thakur as saying. His government decided to provide the actor security after Ranaut's father and sister sought protection for her.

According to media reports, the Himachal Pradesh government requested the Central government to provide security to Ranaut through a paramilitary force.

Following the decision of Indian government, Ranaut has thanked Home Minister Amit Shah for providing her Y-plus security.

"This shows that no one can crush a patriot in the country. I am thankful to Home Minister Amit Shah. Had he wanted, he would have told me to visit Mumbai later amid the ongoing tension but he respected India's daughter and acknowledged my self-respect. Jai Hind," Ranaut wrote on her verified Twitter account.

BJP leader Ram Kadam recently asked the Shiv Sena-led Maharashtra government to provide police protection to Ranaut since "she wanted to expose the Bollywood drug nexus". Responding to Kadam's request, Ranaut had said that she feared Mumbai Police more than the "movie mafia", and would prefer security either from Himachal Pradesh or the Centre.

Then Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut had responed, "We kindly request her not to come to Mumbai. This is nothing but an insult to Mumbai Police."

Hitting back, Ranaut had said, "Why is Mumbai feeling like Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir?" In a tweet stating that she would be returning to Mumbai on September 9, Ranaut had dared anyone to stop her. Sena MLA Pratap Saranik hit back with a slap threat and said she should be arrested for sedition, as per PTI. 

Kangana Ranaut's tweet: https://bit.ly/336eNQ9