Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi’s security guards entered the Sanjay Gandhi Biological Park with firearms, flouting the executive direction of former Chief Ministry Nitish Kumar.

Manjhi entered the zoo premises to attend an official function with three of his security guards carrying arms barely eight months after his predecessor Nitish issued the executive direction prohibiting entry to the Sanjay Gandhi Biological Park with firearms. A source said the guards were not ignorant about the norm, according to a report in The Telegraph.

The Telegraph report quotes that the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Bihar, B.A. Khan, “No one is allowed to enter the zoo with firearms, not even the Chief Minister’s security guards. They are required to leave their firearms at the entrance of the zoo.”

The Director General of Police (DGP) P.K. Thakur, however, claimed that no compromises should be made with the Chief Minister’s security. “The Chief Minister is entitled to Z+ security category because he is perpetually under threat for various reasons. He would be vulnerable to threats if proper security is not provided to him all the time.” The DGP said the prohibition on the entry with firearms to the zoo was basically focused on VIP morning walkers.

“The Chief Minister had gone to the zoo today to attend an official programme, thus his security was a must. The ban on firearms on the zoo premises was basically for the security guards coming with the VIP morning-walkers. The directive was issued after repeated complaints were made against the crowding of the zoo because of too many security guards in the morning.”

Brij Kishor Prasad, the evaluation and monitoring officer of Central Zoo Authority (CZA) — the national regulatory agency for zoos—differed. He said firearms were prohibited on the zoo premises across the country. “CZA does not allow entry of people in the zoo with firearms for protection of the wildlife,” said Prasad.