‘Big fan of PM’, says boy who breached Modi’s security cordon in K’taka

The incident took place when Modi was on his way to the venue for the inauguration of the 26th National Youth Festival at Hubballi railway ground. A boy appeared to have crossed the barricade and ran towards the prime minister, holding the garland in his hands.

The 11-year-old boy who breached the security cordon and approached Prime Minister Narendra Modi during this visit to Hubballi on Thursday said he wanted to garland the latter and grab his attention.

The 11-year-old boy breached the security cordon and approached Prime Minister Narendra Modi during this visit to Hubballi (ANI/ PIB)

Class six student Kunal Dhongadi said he managed to squeeze himself between the barricade gap and ran to garland the Prime Minister.

The incident took place when Modi was on his way to the venue for the inauguration of the 26th National Youth Festival at Hubballi railway ground. A boy appeared to have crossed the barricade and ran towards the prime minister, holding the garland in his hands.

The Prime Minister extended his hand to accept the garland from above the car door but could not reach the boy.

The Special Protection Group (SPG) personnel got hold of the garland before local police secured the boy and removed him from the scene. SPG handed the garland to the Prime Minister, who put it inside his vehicle.

The incident triggered a controversy over the serious breach of the Prime Minister’s security.

“I had gone to garland Modi, I had heard in the news that Modi ji would come, so I had pestered (at home) and had gone there with family members. Modi ji was moving in his car. We wanted my uncle’s two-and-half-year-old kid dressed in RSS uniform to put a garland on him,” Dhongadi told reporters in Hubballi.

“But, he did not look at our side, realising that the car would move away, I ran with the garland squeezing in between the gap in the barricading,” he said, adding that those standing along the route checked the garland.

“I’m a big fan of Modi....he is a good man, like a god... I’m happy that I could take the garland to him and see him from close proximity,” he said.

The boy was inquired along with family members on Thursday and was later let off by the police.

Kunal’s grandfather, who had accompanied him, said the police inquired and did their job and left after realising it was an act of an innocent boy. “Pralhad Joshi sir (Union Minister) and other senior BJP leaders asked us to cooperate with the police inquiry and assured us that nothing would happen as they are aware that we are loyal BJP and Modi supporters. We, too, cooperated as we know it is a matter related to the PM’s security,” he said.

Hours after the incident, Hubballi-Dharwad city police commissioner Raman Gupta said there was no security breach. In a brief statement to the media, he said: “It was a sanitised crowd. All garlands and people were frisked before they were let in.”

(With PTI inputs)