Mumbai, May 25 (IANS): Stung by a Rs.10.84 crore demand made by the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) as the cost for guarding the 2008 Mumbai terror attack convict and Pakistani gunman Mohammed Ajmal Amir Kasab during the past nearly three years, the Maharashtra government Wednesday decided to deploy its own security for the task.

Making the announcement, Home Minister R.R. Patil said the ITBP security was too expensive for the government.

"The government has decided that a team of our own capable persons will protect Kasab and we shall remove ITBP's security," Patil told mediapersons here.

Patil met Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan in this regard Tuesday and a decision was taken to withdraw ITBP's expensive security for Kasab, who is on death row and housed in the high-security Arthur Road Central Jail in south Mumbai.

Taken aback by the ITBP's bill, the state government took the view that it alone should not be forced to bear the coast of guarding the convict of the Nov 26-28, 2008 attack.

Officials said the terror attack by the 10 Pakistani gunmen was not just on Maharashtra but on the whole country. "Then, why should only the Maharashtra government bear the cost of protecting Kasab, who was the lone gunman caught alive by brave officers of Mumbai Police," an official said.

ITBP chief R.K. Bhatia recently sent a bill of Rs.10.84 crore for providing security to Kasab for various periods since the attack which left more than 160 people dead.

Besides the ITBP, Kasab was also protected by different state government agencies in a three-tier security ring inside and outside the jail.