Narrow escape for Rahul Gandhi as balloons catch fire at MP rally

Tribune Web Desk
Chandigarh, October 7

Congress president Rahul Gandhi had a providential escape on Saturday when a fire broke out during a roadshow at Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh.

Rahul had taken out a roadshow in the state that is going to polls on November 28.

A video of the rally showed a sudden blaze erupting from a multi-tiered 'dia' (lamp) that some Congress supporters were holding. Apparently, they wanted to conduct 'aarti' of the party chief when the lamp touched a bunch of balloons and a huge flame leapt out.

The blaze was put out within seconds. The incident, however, created scare among people who ran helter-skelter.  

Rahul Gandhi, Congress leaders Kamalnath and Jyotiraditya Scindia, who were in an open vehicle and meters away, escaped unhurt. Rahul Gandhi  is an SPG protectee.

The police denied any lapse in the security of the Congress chief. There was no security lapse as there were only Congress workers around, SP Amit Singh said, adding the mandatory 15-ft distance was maintained and no one was allowed to come near to the Congress chief. He added that there was no lathicharge.