Agencies

New Delhi, January 06:

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.

Earlier today President Kovind had expressed concern about the security breach in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Punjab visit.

The PM was scheduled to lay the foundation stone of multiple development projects worth more than Rs 42,750 crore in Punjab yesterday.

These projects include Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway; four laning of Amritsar – Una section; Mukerian – Talwara New Broad Gauge railway line; PGI Satellite Centre at Ferozepur and two new medical colleges at Kapurthala and Hoshiarpur.

On Wednesday morning, the Prime Ministe landed at Bathinda 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.

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

Around 30 kms 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 protestors.

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. 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.