A VIP escort party taking a break after a gruelling journey in one of the interior districts of Nagaland.
Ashiko Pfuzhe
Dimapur | June 23
Sirens blaring and racing against the wind, the ‘Pilot’ Gypsy is the most conspicuous feature of any VIP convoy traversing the dusty, zigzag and potholed roads of Nagaland.
The occupants of the ‘Pilot’ Gypsy, the armed personnel in khaki or VIP escorts, also look as rough and weathered as the vehicle. Leading the convoy, they remove road blocks, push vehicles in slush and brave the cold and heat. Travelling hours at a stretch in an open Gypsy in the summer heat whenever a minister undertakes a tour to the interior and far-flung districts can be strenuous and backbreaking.
At the end of the journey, they are covered with dust from head to toe and their bones ache from the non-stop jerking from travelling on uneven roads. At night, they open a bottle of MC Rum to numb the pain or play a game of cards before retiring.
“Sometimes we cannot take proper bath or have a sound sleep as the minister or parliamentary secretary may come up with sudden programmes or unexpected visits,” an escort said.
Sitting in the comfort of their air conditioned cars or sofas, many VIPs take the service of the escorts for granted. “Some ministers and parliamentary secretaries are kind and generous, but there are some who are misers and do not give two hoots about our plight,” another escort confided.
“In the last ministry, there was one we called ‘tin-fish minister’ as whenever we were attached with him, he would not provide us food from his kitchen but simply give us a ‘tin fish’ pack and tell us to go cook ourselves. We also had not-so-flattering names for other ministers and parliamentary secretaries,” he added.
Drawn from the ‘C’ Company of Kohima District Enforcement Force (DEF), the escort personnel are assigned duty on rotation basis, every week with a different minister or parliamentary secretary. “We have about 170 personnel in our company, but the actual strength of personnel on escort duty varies from 110-130 as some are attached as bodyguards or ‘haldars’ with VIPs,” another escort said.
As their duty is on rotation basis, most of the escort personnel assess each VIP and they also whisper among themselves the ‘skeletons in the closet’ of many a minister, from secret rendezvous right to kitchen details.
Despite the strenuous nature of their duty, the VIP escorts are reportedly not paid any extra incentives with their salary remaining at par with other DEF personnel on static duty. “At least we ought to get some extra incentives considering the strenuous nature of our duty,” the escort said.
The escort personnel have also had their share of criticisms, especially riding roughshod over other motorists in crowded urban streets.
They may not be your ideal embodiment of Nagaland Police motto “Security, Service and Sacrifice”, but they have also laid down their lives in the line of duty.
