TRIVANDRUM, 2 November 2006 — A security breach in the southern Indian state of Kerala has upset Prime Minister Manmohan Singh who arrived here Tuesday night. A pilot vehicle deviated from the prescribed route and misled the prime minister’s motorcade into a narrow alley in the downtown Palayam area of the state capital. The federal interior ministry has reportedly sought a detailed report from the state government on the incident which has baffled the prime minister’s security officers and exposed a serious security vulnerability.
The state’s Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, who was on his way to attend the golden jubilee celebration of the state in New Delhi, cut short his visit and rushed to the state capital. He met the prime minister and apologized for the lapse. “It’s a serious lapse. We are studying it in detail. Strong action will be taken against those who erred,” a visibly upset home minister told newsmen at the airport upon his arrival from Madras.
There are unconfirmed reports that the prime minister’s office and the National Security Guards director have also sought explanations from the state police as to why his convoy had to stop midway and change the original route. It created tense moments as the SPG formed a cordon around the prime minister’s car. This is said to be the first time in history that the prime minister and his entourage have been forced to stop midway.
The incident took place at 10.05 p.m. while the prime minister was being driven to Raj Bhavan, the governor’s residence, from the airport 10 km away. At least eight vehicles followed the one that took the wrong route as the cavalcade was moving at a speed of 60 km/hr. The prime minister’s car was the fifth in the cavalcade.
Once the mistake had been realized, the pilot car was halted abruptly. Soon all 28 vehicles in the cavalcade screeched to a halt. As soon as the prime minister’s vehicle stopped near an underground bypass (near Asan Square), the SPG personnel took their position. When the cavalcade reached Raj Bhavan, Shaji, a tourist taxi driver, was detained and Circle Inspector R. Balachandran of the City Armed Reserve Camp, in charge of the pilot who was in the car, was suspended. The driver, who was admitted to hospital yesterday, said he was just taking instructions from the officer behind him.
