Oil hurled at CM: Probe points to ‘negligence’ by Hisar police

CHANDIGARH: A preliminary inquiry into the incident of hurling of black oil at Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar at Hisar has pointed towards laxity on the part of the district police that formed the third layer of his three-tier security.

Sushil Manav

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 21

A preliminary inquiry into the incident of hurling of black oil at Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar at Hisar has pointed towards laxity on the part of the district police that formed the third layer of his three-tier security.

A youth, identified as Praveen Sawant, had thrown black oil at Khattar ahead of his roadshow at Hisar on Thursday last. The Chief Minister’s security wing of the Haryana Police in Chandigarh had ordered an inquiry into the incident.

Anil Kumar Rao, IGP, CID, confirmed that the inquiry had revealed negligence on the part of police personnel deployed in the third and the outermost layer of the Chief Minister’s security.

Sources said that the first layer of Khattar’s security comprises his personal security officers (PSOs), who keep an eye on the activities of people coming close to him or trying to meet him.

The second layer of the security ring comprises a close protection team (CPT) that surrounds Khattar so that no unwanted person comes close to him. Both PSOs and CPT members travel with Khattar wherever he goes while the third layer that makes a bigger circle outside the CPT comprises local police personnel.

The sources said that the youth, who hurled black oil at Khattar, was able to break the third security layer but could not go beyond the CPT that overpowered him immediately after the incident.

Rao said that action would be taken against those found negligent in duty in the final inquiry report.

Meanwhile, it has been decided to strengthen Khattar’s security in view of his increased mobility and roadshows where he meets a large number of people. Police personnel deployed in the Chief Minister’s security are trained in firearms and have physical fitness but now it has been decided to emphasis more on these aspects considering the possibility of more unsavoury incidents in the wake of the approaching Assembly and parliamentary elections and hectic political activities.

The sources said that DGP BS Sandhu had through videoconferencing reviewed the Chief Minister’s security recently and directed SPs to be more vigilant during Khattar’s visits to their districts.