PM Security Breach: Punjab Police Files FIR Against Over 100 Unknown Persons

A 'major security breach' had occurred during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Punjab.

A "major security lapse" had occurred during Prime Minister Modi's visit to Punjab, as per the Home Ministry.

(Photo: Altered by The Quint)

Days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's alleged 'security breach' during his visit to Punjab, a case against 100-150 unknown persons has been filed in the matter by the state police, officials said on Friday, 7 January.

A First Information Report (FIR) was registered under Section 283 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) at Kulgarhi police station in Punjab's Ferozepur district on 6 January, as per The Hindustan Times.

Section 283 (danger or obstruction in public way or line of navigation) attracts a maximum penalty of Rs 200, if the person is found guilty.

The FIR and noted that it did not mention PM Modi at all, and filed based on the complaint of Kulgari Station House Officer (SHO) Birbal Singh, as per HT.

MHA Issues Show-Cause Notice to Bathinda SSP

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Friday, 7 January, issued a show-cause notice to the Bathinda Senior Superintendent of Police, demanding a reply within a day.

Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Siddharth Chattopadhyaya, and other senior police and civil officials, including those deployed for the PM's have been summoned for questioning.

Meanwhile, a three-member committee from the Union Home Ministry visited the flyover in Bathinda today to look into the alleged security lapses during PM's visit on 4 January.

The three-member team – consisting of Sudhir Kumar Saxena, Secretary (Security); Balbir Singh, Joint Director of the Intelligence Bureau; and S Suresh, Inspector-General of the SPG, or Special Protection Group – spent nearly 45 minutes at the Pyarayana flyover. They then drove to the Border Security Force's sector HQ for further inquiries.

On 6 January, the Ministry of Home Affairs had set up a committee to inquire into the lapses that led to the "grave security risk."

The committee has been advised to submit its report at the earliest.

PM Modi's Security Breached in Punjab

Prime Minister Modi, who had been scheduled to address a rally and launch multiple projects in Punjab on Wednesday, had returned to the Bhatinda airport cutting his visit to the state short, after a 'security lapse.'

In a statement, the MHA declared that around 30 km away from the National Martyrs Memorial in Hussainiwala, the PM’s convoy, which was on a flyover, couldn't proceed further as the road was blocked by some protesters.

"The PM was stuck on a flyover for 15-20 minutes. This was a major lapse in the security of the PM," the statement read.

The Congress-led state government has, however, disputed the security-related allegations.