A central government team’s investigation of a how a tent collapsed during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rally in West Bengal’s Midnapore on July 16 has accused local authorities of lapses.
Adequate cooperation was not provided to the Prime Minister’s advance security liaison team, according to the central team’s report, officials said on Wednesday. The report, which was submitted to the union home ministry, suggested that not enough state police personnel were deployed within the five km radius of the Prime Minister’s function.
The central team also submitted that the Special Protection Group (SPG) secures the inner arch of the Prime Minister and the responsibility of giving security in the outer layers rests with the state government. Local authorities failed in the second task, an official said.
The investigation has also found that proper logistical help was not given to the advance security liaisoning team which visited the state two weeks before the Prime Minister’s visit.
During their interactions with the state government officials, the findings of the team was refuted by the local authorities saying it had deputed 1,000 personnel for Modi’s rally and all cooperation was offered to the advance security team, another official said.
{{/usCountry}}During their interactions with the state government officials, the findings of the team was refuted by the local authorities saying it had deputed 1,000 personnel for Modi’s rally and all cooperation was offered to the advance security team, another official said.
{{/usCountry}}The makeshift tent, erected next to the main entrance of the rally venue to shelter people from rain, collapsed when Modi was midway through his speech.
Modi later visited the hospital where the injured, including 50 women, were undergoing treatment.