The West Bengal government has decided to upgrade the security cover of former Indian cricket team captain and ex-BCCI president Sourav Ganguly to Z category, a senior official said. The decision was taken on Tuesday following the expiry of the tenure of Y category security provided to Ganguly.

“As the security cover of the VVIP expired, a review was done as per the protocol and it was decided to raise Ganguly’s security cordon to Z category,” he said.

As per the new security arrangement, the former cricketer will have 8 to 10 police personnel guarding him, the official said.

Under the Y category security cover, Ganguly used to get three policemen from the Special Branch in his cordon and an equal number of law enforcers guarding his Behala residence.

On Tuesday, representatives of the state secretariat reached Ganguly’s Behala office where they held a meeting with officers from Kolkata Police headquarters Lalbazar and the local police station, he added.

“Ganguly is currently travelling with his team Delhi Daredevils and will return to Kolkata on May 21. He will start getting Z category security from that very day,” the official said.

In West Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Governor C V Ananda Bose and Trinamool Congress MP and national secretary Abhishek Banerjee get Z Plus security while ministers such as Firhad Hakim and Moloy Ghatak have been provided with Z category security.

BJP‘s West Bengal president Sukanta Majumdar is also provided with Z Plus security cover along with CISF protection.