SC holds Ferozepur SSP Harman Hans responsible for PM Modi’s security breach in Punjab

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New
Delhi,
Aug
25:
The
Supreme
Court
has
held
Ferozepur
SSP
Harman
Hans
responsible
for
the
security
lapse
that
occurred
when
Prime
Minister
Narendra
Modi
had
visited
Punjab
during
the
assembly
elections
held
earlier
this
year.

The
court
will
send
the
report
to
the
Centre
and
state
for
further
action
on
the
SSP.
Following
the
security
lapse
the
court
had
asked
former
SC
judge,
Justice
Indu
Malhotra
to
prepare
a
report.

The
Justice
Indu
Malhotra
committee
said
that
the
Hans
failed
to
discharge
his
responsibility
to
maintain
law
and
order
or
take
any
steps
to
deploy
additional
force
to
strengthen
security
on
the
PM’s
route
in
January,
when
the
PM’s
convey
was
stuck
on
a
flyover.

The
committee
also
recommended
an
oversight
committee
for
periodic
review
of
the
Blue
Book.

On
January
5,
a
security
breach
was
reported
during
Prime
Minister
Narendra
Modi’s
visit
to
Punjab.
The
PM
landed
in
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,
a
statement
by
the
Ministry
of
Home
Affairs
read.

PM
security
breach:
Haryana
CM
makes
startling
claim

When
the
weather
did
not
improve,
it
was
decided
that
he
would
visit
the
National
Martyrs
Memorial
via
road,
which
would
take
more
than
2
hours.
He
proceeded
to
travel
by
road
after
necessary
confirmation
of
necessary
security
arrangements
by
the
DGP
Punjab
Police,
the
MHA
also
said.

Around
30
kilometres
away
from
National
Martyrs
Memorial
in
Hussainiwala,
when
the
PM’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
PM’s
schedule
and
travel
plan
was
communicated
well
in
advance
to
Punjab
Government.
As
per
procedure,
they
have
to
make
necessary
arrangements
for
logistics,
security
as
well
as
keep
a
contingency
plan
ready.

Also
in
view
of
the
contingency
plan
Punjab
Government
has
to
deploy
additional
security
to
secure
any
movement
by
road,
which
were
clearly
not
deployed,
the
MHA
said.
After
this
security
lapse,
it
was
decided
to
head
back
to
Bathinda
airport.