West Bengal govt downgrades Sourav Ganguly’s security from Z to Y category after VIP security review

Former India captain Sourav Ganguly’s security cover has been downgraded by the West Bengal government following a review of protection arrangements extended to prominent personalities in the state, officials said on Wednesday.

The decision comes amid a broader exercise by the state administration to reassess security deployment and align protection measures with current threat perceptions. Officials said the review covers politicians, public figures and other individuals who have been receiving enhanced security cover.

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Ganguly, who earlier enjoyed Z-category security, will now receive Y-category protection. The former Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president and current Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) president has not commented publicly on the development.

The latest move is part of a wider security audit initiated after the change of government in West Bengal following last month’s Assembly elections. Officials said the objective was to ensure that security personnel are deployed based on assessed risk rather than continuing existing arrangements without periodic evaluation.

According to officials, individuals under the Z-category security umbrella are typically protected by around 35 personnel and are also provided a pilot vehicle along with coordinated monitoring by the state police command. Y-category security, by comparison, involves a significantly smaller deployment, including three to four personnel and two armed officers assigned for close protection.

Security review under new administration

Officials said Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari had emphasised that security resources should be allocated strictly on the basis of threat assessment. Following those directions, authorities began reviewing the protection granted to several individuals across categories.

One of the earliest high-profile cases to come under scrutiny was that of Trinamool Congress general secretary Abhishek Banerjee. The government had then indicated that any security cover beyond what he was entitled to as a Member of Parliament would be withdrawn.

Several prominent figures see security reassessed

The review process has also resulted in changes to the security arrangements of a number of Trinamool Congress leaders, former ministers and retired police officials, officials said.

With Ganguly’s cover now revised, the former India skipper becomes the latest among a growing list of public figures whose security arrangements have been reassessed as part of the state’s ongoing review exercise.