PM security lapse report out

P K SURENDRAN / TNN / Nov 4, 2006, 01:28 IST

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Additional DGP Jacob Punnoose, who was probing the security lapse involving Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's convoy, submitted his report to the Kerala CM.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Additional DGP Jacob Punnoose, who was probing the security lapse involving Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's convoy, on Friday submitted his report to the Kerala chief minister.
On Tuesday night, the lead driver of Manmohan Singh's convoy from Thiruvanathapuram airport to the Raj Bhavan, a 10-km route, steered out of the prescribed route.Police officers accompanying the PM jumped out of their cars when the vehicles, including that of Singh's, came to a halt, seeing the pilot vehicle take a totally different route.
According to sources, Punnoose's report sought to put the blame on the traffic police superintendent and a reserve inspector - who were responsible for the PM's security box.
Defending the practice of hiring private taxi drivers to pilot VVIP convoys (TOI reported the matter on Thursday), the report, however, suggested an end to the practice.

According to the report, the state has been using private taxis for piloting VVIP convoys for the last five years as there is a huge shortage of vehicles — especially Ambassadors. But according to sources, the state police department has spent Rs 14 crore to buy new vehicles in the last five years.
The report confirmed that Shaji M, the driver piloting the PM's convoy who was detained for questioning, had failed twice in the trial runs. The "difference of opinion" on the issue between V S Achuthanandan and home minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan has once again come to the fore.
While Balakrishnan has sought to term the incident as a "human error", the CM has ordered another probe by the state chief secretary.
The CM's move even prompted the home minister to suspend a scheduled press conference on Thursday.

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