The home ministry on Thursday formed a committee to enquire into the serious lapses in the security arrangements during Modi’s visit to Punjab.
SPG had notified Punjab Police about the contingency plan for the road journey from Bathinda to Ferozepur in case he could not fly on a helicopter due to bad weather, and a contingency rehearsal for the road journey was carried out on January 4, sources said. In view of intelligence inputs regarding sabotage possibilities, strong police deployment was emphasized in the ASL report, they said.
“Documents show multiple communications by Punjab Police about securing the roads for the PM’s visit and journey,” a government source said. “There are also discussions about making a traffic diversion plan as dharna may result in roadblocks. The communication by Punjab Police further seeks to keep a watch on the movement of farmers and that they should not be allowed to move to district Ferozepur to disrupt the rally.”
As per SPG’s blue book, which lays down security guidelines for the protection of the PM, the overall responsibility for ensuring the safety of the PM rests with the state government and responsibility for providing proximate security rests with SPG. Implementation of these rules is the responsibility of the DGP of the state and a car for the chief secretary and DGP is earmarked in the PM’s motorcade.
The initial probe into the security lapse points to the failure of the state police control room to inform the pilot of the motorcade about protestors on the route, sources said.
“Before starting his journey, director SPG discussed with DGP Punjab about the road journey from Bathinda to Ferozepur,” one of them said. “SSP Bathinda piloted the motorcade from Bathinda to Ferozepur district border. If timely information about the blockade was relayed to the PM’s motorcade by the police control room, the situation of getting stuck on a flyover could have been averted.”
The inquiry committee set up by the MHA will be headed by Sudhir Kumar Saxena, secretary (security), cabinet secretariat, and include Balbir Singh, joint director, Intelligence Bureau (IB), and S Suresh, IG, SPG. The panel is advised to submit the report at the earliest.
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