Security breach in Punjab:
FIR in Ferozepur against
150 unknown people

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FEROZPUR (Punjab): The Ferozepur Police have filed an FIR against 150 unknown persons for blocking the national highway that led to security breach during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Punjab on Wednesday.

The FIR was registered on Thursday at Kulgari police station in Ferozepur district under Section 283 IPC which relates to danger or obstruction in public way or public line of navigation.

The Prime Minister’s convoy was stuck on a flyover for 15-20 minutes due to road blockage by some protestors about 30 km away from the National Martyrs Memorial in Hussainiwala.

The MHA panel is to inquire into “serious lapses” in security arrangements that exposed PM Modi to “grave risk” during his Punjab visit on January 5.

The Prime Minister was scheduled to visit Ferozepur in the poll-bound state and lay the foundation stone of multiple development projects worth more than Rs 42,750 crore.

The Home Ministry has taken cognisance of the “serious security lapse” and has sought a detailed report from the Congress government in Punjab. The state government has also been asked to fix responsibility for this lapse and take strict action. The Home Ministry has sought a report from the Punjab Government on the security breach.

There was a serious security breach with regard to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s route around 30 kms away from national martyrs Memorial in Punjab’s Hussainiwala, the ministry of home affairs has said.

“Around 30 kms away from National Martyrs Memorial in Hussainiwala, when the Prime Minister’s convoy reached a flyover, it was found that the road was blocked by some protestors. The PM was stuck on a flyover for 15-20 minutes. This was a major lapse in the security of PM,” the home ministry noted.

Earlier, Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya had announced that PM Modi has cancelled his scheduled visit to Punjab’s Ferozepur to address a rally “due to some reasons.”

Today morning, PM landed at Bathinda from where he was to go to national martyrs memorial at Hussainiwala by helicopter. Due to rain and poor visibility, PM waited for about 20 minutes for the weather to clear out, MHA said, adding that as the weather didn’t improve, it was decided that he would visit the memorial via road, which would take more than 2 hours.

Modi meets Kovind, security breach discussed

President Ram Nath Kovind met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday and received a first-hand account of a security breach in his convoy in Punjab yesterday.
“President Ram Nath Kovind met Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Rashtrapati Bhavan today and received from him a first-hand account of the security breach in his convoy in Punjab yesterday. The President expressed his concerns about the serious lapse,” the President of India tweeted. Earlier today President Kovind had expressed concern about the security breach in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Punjab visit.

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi meets President Ram Nath Kovind and briefed him about the alleged security lapse during his Punjab visit, at Rashtrapati Bhavan, in New Delhi on Thursday. (ANI Photo)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was scheduled to visit Ferozepur on Wednesday to lay the foundation stone of multiple development projects worth more than Rs 42,750 crore.
The Home Ministry said in a statement that around 30 km away from the National Martyrs Memorial in Hussainiwala, when the Prime Minister’s convoy reached a flyover, it was found that the road was blocked by some protesters.
The Prime Minister was stuck on a flyover for 15-20 minutes.”This was a major lapse in the security of the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister’s schedule and travel plan was communicated well in advance to the Punjab Government. As per procedure, they have to make necessary arrangements for logistics, security as well as keep a contingency plan ready,” the statement said. “Also in view of the contingency plan, the Punjab Government has to deploy additional security to secure any movement by road, which were clearly not deployed. After this security lapse, it was decided to head back to Bathinda Airport,” it added.

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi meets veteran BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi and greeted him on the occasion of his birthday, in New Delhi on Wednesday. (ANI Photo)

It said only Punjab police knew the precise route of the PM and “never has such police behaviour been witnessed”.The Home Ministry has taken cognizance of the “serious security lapse” and has sought a detailed report from the Punjab government. The state government has also been asked to fix responsibility for this lapse and take strict action.
The Home Ministry statement added that PM Modi landed at Bathinda on Wednesday morning from where he was to go to the National Martyrs Memorial at Hussainiwala by helicopter. Due to rain and poor visibility, the Prime Minister waited for about 20 minutes for the weather to clear out.
The statement said that when the weather did not improve, it was decided that he would visit the National Martyrs Memorial via road, which would take more than two hours. The Prime Minister proceeded to travel by road after necessary confirmation of necessary security arrangements by the DGP Punjab Police.