Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann Initiates Action Against Ex-DGP, Other Cops Over PM’s Security Breach

An inter-disciplinary proceeding has been issued by the chief minister of Punjab Bhagwant Mann against former DGP S Chattopadhyay and other two police officers over a security breach during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Punjab last year. According to an official letter from the Government of Punjab, the action has been started for the disciplinary proceedings for the major penalty against Sidharth Chattopadhyay, the then-DGP of Punjab, Inderbir Singh, the then-DIG of Ferozepur Range, and Harmandeep Singh Hans, the then-SSP of Ferozepur, over the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s security breach in Punjab in January 2022.

According to the statement by Punjab Chief Secretary Vijay Kumar Janjua on March 14, the state government will soon submit the interim report to the Ministry of Home Affairs on the issue of the security breach. The action of CM Mann came after the Central government sought a detailed action report in the case from the Punjab government. A detailed action taken report against the erring officers has been asked after a letter was sent through the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to the Punjab government. 

Anirudh Tewari, the state’s then-chief secretary, and police chief S Chattopadhyaya, among other high-ranking officials, were blamed for security lapses during PM Modi’s visit to Punjab on January 5, 2022, according to a report from the Supreme Court-appointed inquiry committee that looked into the incident, which was submitted six months ago. Soon after the security breach, the Ministry of Home Affairs constituted a three-member committee that summoned the officers who were responsible for the Prime Minister’s security during his visit to Punjab’s Ferozpur on January 5.

A three-member committee led by Sudhir Kumar Saxena, Secretary (Security), Cabinet Secretariat; Balbir Singh, Joint Director (IB); and S Suresh, IG, Special Protection Group was then constituted by the Ministry of Home Affairs. According to the information, the committee started its probe from its first visit to the flyover where Prime Minister was struck for 15-20 minutes due to road blockage by the protesters during his visit. The serious lapses in the security arrangements during the PM’s visit to Ferozpur in Punjab led to exposure to the VVIP grave security risk.

The Ministry of Home Affairs has also asked the Punjab government to fix responsibility for the lapse and take strict action against the people responsible. The home ministry has said that PM Modi’s schedule and travel plan were well communicated in advance to the Punjab government. The home ministry said that they had to make all the necessary arrangements. The Punjab government has also constituted a high-level committee to probe the incident. 

Know what happened during PM’s visit

The schedule stated that on January 5 in the morning, Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived at Bathinda from which he would take a helicopter to the National Martyrs Monument at Hussainiwala. The Prime Minister waited for the weather to clear for around 20 minutes because of the rain and poor visibility. It was determined that he would go more than two hours by car to the National Martyrs Memorial after the weather did not get any better.

With the DGP Punjab Police’s mandatory certification of the necessary security preparations, Prime Minister Modi then continued his journey by road. When his convoy arrived at a flyover about 30 miles from the National Martyrs Monument in Hussainiwala, it was discovered that some protesters had blocked the road. For 15 to 20 minutes, Prime Minister Modi was stranded on an overpass. It was noted as a significant security failure on his part. The Ministry of Home Affairs had stated at the time that due to the contingency plan, the Punjab government was also required to deploy extra security to protect any travel by road, but this was not done, and that “following this security lapse, it was decided to head back to Bathinda Airport.”