Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s security – the highest in the country – was breached during his roadshow in Karnataka’s Hubli today by a teenager, who suddenly jumped onto the road and managed to get within an arm’s length of him. He was intercepted at the last minute and taken away by the Prime Minister’s Special Protection Group or SPG.
The boy was carrying a garland and was apparently trying to pay respect to the Prime Minister, who was riding on the running board of an SUV and waving to the cheering crowd. While the SPG jawans immediately blocked him, the Prime Minister was seen extending his hand to receive the garland.
The security officials accompanying him grabbed the garland and handed it over to the Prime Minister, who placed it inside the car.
It is not yet known how the boy, who appears to be around 15 years old, managed to get so close to the prime minister in an area that is expected to be completely sanitised. While hundreds of slogan-shouting supporters lined the road from the airport, they were behind barricades.
The Prime Minister, who is expected to inaugurate the 29th National Youth Festival this evening, was conducting a roadshow from the airport to the Railway Sports Ground, where the function will be held.
The Prime Minister has a five-tier security, with the outermost layer being the responsibility of the state police.
During the Punjab tour last year, there was a breach in the security of PM Modi. On 5 January, while on his way to Ferozepur for an election rally, the prime minister’s convoy was stopped at a flyover for 20 minutes in front of TV cameras as protesting farmers staged a blockade.
The Supreme Court had said that a committee probing the security breach had found lapses on the part of the Punjab Police. The five-member committee, headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice Indu Malhotra, later suggested remedial measures to strengthen the security of the prime minister.
The apex court, which constituted the committee to determine whether there was any criminal conspiracy in the security breach, had said the report would be sent to the Center “so that necessary steps can be taken”.