PM's Security Breached: Who Protects Him, What's Travel Protocol and Who's Responsible for Lapses?

After Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Punjab visit was cut short on Wednesday due to a “major security lapse”, the entire central government and Bharatiya Janata Party are up in arms against the state’s Congress government. The PM was stuck on a flyover for 15-20 minutes due to a blockade by some protesters and returned without attending an event. Angry BJP leaders said a government that cannot ensure law and order has no right to remain in power.

But what is the standard operating procedure for the PM’s security? Let’s take a look:

Agency to protect PM

The Special Protection Group (SPG) is responsible for the safety and security of the Prime Minister. After the amendment to the SPG Act, the PM is the only protectee of the agency. The elite commando force is responsible for providing proximate security to the Prime Minister. This means that the immediate cordon around the PM is that of SPG personnel.

The ASL or the Advanced Security Liaison is also carried out by the SPG. What this means is that every minute of the Prime Minister’s itinerary is documented and monitored by the central agency officials. During the PM’s visit to a state, the local police maintains this minute-to-minute programme but is supervised by SPG officials. ASL also entails sanitisation of the venue and the route that the PM takes. Anti-sabotage checks, frisking of people who would come close to the PM are all mandated to be carried out by the Special Protection Group.

Does this mean sole responsibility lies with SPG?

No. Even though the proximate security is the SPG’s responsibility, the perimeter is to be secured by the state police in case the PM travels.

What this entails is that the route that the PM is scheduled to take must be finalised and sanitised by the state police and then shared with the SPG.

Keeping the road route safe for the PM’s travel is the responsibility of the state police. “The decision on route is taken by the state police in consultation with the SPG. Usually, a skeletal force is deployed on the contingency routes. Sometimes an emergency situation might arise forcing a last-minute decision, otherwise route, deployment, etc, are all pre-decided by the state and shared with the SPG,” a top cop told News18 on condition of anonymity.

Another former DGP said that not only is the state police mandated to have a contingency route ready with deployment but it is part of the SOP that the DGP or a designated officer must travel in the cavalcade of the PM. “There is a designated vehicle for the DGP to travel in the PM cavalcade. In case he is not available, a designated officer must represent him so that in case of any exigencies, he or she can ensure that the PM’s cavalcade is not disrupted,” the officer who has handled multiple PM visits to states told News18.

For air travel

In case the Prime Minister is scheduled to take a chopper ride to reach a venue, at least one alternative road route (if not more) is kept ready.

According to former SPG officials who spoke to News18, a contingency route is decided much in advance. “Route lining or deployment on the alternative route is done well in advance. At least 24 hours before PM’s arrival, a full rehearsal is carried out from the airport/airstrip to the venue,” a former SPG official said.

SPG, local police, local and Intelligence Bureau officials are all part of this rehearsal. The local civil administration is the fourth agency involved in the preparations ahead of the PM’s visit. Deployment ensures responsibility is fixed on state officials for sanitisation of routes that the PM would take. Alternative routes are often decided by the state and communicated to the SPG and when both agencies are satisfied the PM’s travel is undertaken. Intelligence officials are involved to alert in case of any sabotage attempt.

Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi has questioned if the Wednesday incident is an intelligence failure. “I am distressed about the fact that our @PMOIndia ‘s security detailing has so many loopholes, this can be catastrophic. The chain of command has to be crystal clear when he is travelling and whoever is found wanting should be sacked. In this case clearly -HM, SPG, State Police,” she tweeted.

Has a breach of PM’s security happened for the first time?

In 2006, the-then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s security was breached in Trivandrum as his pilot vehicle led him to a byway of the city instead of leading him to the Raj Bhawan.

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