Covaxin maker Bharat Biotech gets CISF cover of 64 personnel

NEW DELHI: New Delhi: India's premier security agency Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) on Monday announced that it has taken over the security at the COVID -19 vaccine maker and leading pharmaceutical firm

Bharat Biotech

International premises in Shameerpet in Hyderabad.


CISF’s cordon at the company's headquarters will include 64 armed personnel.

CISF said that the security detail has been provided in the light of the increased threat perception to the biotechnology company as it is "inherently vulnerable to threats from anti-nationals and saboteurs”.

Bharat Biotech is the first fully indigenous manufacturers of COVID-19 vaccine called COVAXIN in India.

The CISF will provide round-the-clock cover to the drug maker, the agency added.

"The biohazard of any accidental or sabotage related leakage of the material has the potential of a widespread disaster. Hence the cover," said a senior CISF official.

The induction ceremony of CISF saw participation by Bharat Biotech CMD Dr Krishna Ella and MD Dr Suchitra Ella, apart from CISF IG (South sector) and senior IPS Anjana Sinha and DIG south Zone Shyamala Dinavahi.

Other officers and personnel of CISF and Bharat Biotech were present during the occasion.

The CISF unit at Bharat Biotech will be headed by an inspector rank officer.

With this induction, total units under CISF security cover has risen to 351 as on date, said the agency.

Bharat Biotech has been engaged in drug discovery, drug development, and manufacture of vaccines, bio-therapeutics, pharmaceuticals and health care products.

The Indian biotechnology company is also one of the first to develop vaccines for viral diseases like Chikungunya and Zika. It also produces vaccines for Japanese Encephalitis.


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