The Tamil Nadu Police has downgraded the security cover of former Chief Minister and DMK president MK Stalin from Z+ to Z category following a periodic review of the threat perception and protection requirements surrounding the senior opposition leader. The decision was taken after an assessment by the Core Cell Security Wing at the State Secretariat, where senior officials examined intelligence inputs and Stalin’s present security requirements. Chief Secretary Sai Kumar, Home Secretary K Manivasan, Director General of Police Mahesh Kumar Aggarwal and other senior officials participated in the review.
Security personnel reduced
Under the revised arrangement, the number of personnel assigned to Stalin’s convoy and core security detail has been reduced from 54 to 34. Despite the downgrade, Stalin will continue to receive extensive police protection. Security personnel will remain deployed across the front, core and rear sections of his convoy, while pilot, escort, backup and close-protection vehicles will continue to accompany him during travel and public engagements.
Officials have described the decision as a rationalisation of the security deployment rather than a withdrawal of protection. Security arrangements at Stalin’s residence on Cenotaph Road in Chennai have also been modified in accordance with the revised category.
Security reviewed every six months
Protection provided to VIPs and VVIPs in Tamil Nadu is periodically reassessed, generally every six months. Intelligence inputs, the seriousness and immediacy of potential threats, public exposure, travel patterns and other security requirements are considered during such exercises. Depending on the assessment, the authorities can retain, increase or reduce the level of protection provided to an individual. Officials maintained that the decision concerning Stalin was based on a professional assessment of his threat perception and formed part of the routine review mechanism.
The revised arrangement is expected to remain in place until the next assessment, unless new intelligence inputs prompt authorities to reconsider the level of protection earlier.
Downgrade follows Assembly poll defeat
The security revision comes months after Stalin and the DMK lost power in the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. The party, which had won 133 seats in 2021, was reduced to 59 seats this year. Stalin also lost from Kolathur, the constituency he had represented for three consecutive terms. TVK candidate VS Babu defeated him by 8,795 votes, securing 82,997 votes against Stalin’s 74,202.
Stalin has subsequently challenged the Kolathur election result before the Madras High Court. Despite the electoral setback, Stalin continues to serve as DMK president and remains one of the most prominent political figures in Tamil Nadu. Officials have maintained that the change in his security category was based on threat assessment and was unrelated to his political position or the election outcome.