A Supreme Court-appointed committee to probe the security breach during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to address an election rally in Punjab in January has found that the Ferozepur SSP failed to discharge his duty though sufficient force was available.
The committee, headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice Indu Malhotra, also told the top court that there should be an oversight committee for periodic revision and update of 'Blue Book' and sensitisation courses for police officers engaged in security of the Prime Minister.
The five-member panel also told the Supreme Court that there was sufficient time with the SSP after then Punjab ADGP G Nageshwar Rao informed him that the Prime Minister will be taking the contingency route and that he failed to take action on his instruction.
The top court said it will send the report to the Government for appropriate action. "Ferozepur SSP, Avneet Hans failed to discharge his responsibility to maintain law and order or take steps to deploy forces to secure the route despite knowledge that there were large hostile groups on the route. "He failed to do this even though sufficient force was available and even though he was informed two hours before that the Prime Minister will enter that route," the bench headed by Chief Justice NV Ramana and also comprising Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli said on Thursday while reading from the committee's report.
The committee has also identified some remedial measures to strengthen the safety and security of the prime minister while on tour. On January 5, Modi's convoy was stranded on a flyover due to a blockade by protesters in Ferozepur after which he returned from Punjab without attending any event, including a rally.
Besides Justice Malhotra, the bench had also appointed the Director General or his nominee not below the rank of Inspector General of Police of National Investigation Agency (NIA), Director General of Police of Union Territory of Chandigarh, and Additional Director General of Police (Security) of Punjab as members of the panel.