Why in news?

• The Punjab government has suspended Gurbinder Singh, Superintendent of Police, Bathinda.
• He was suspended for dereliction of duty over a major breach of security protocol during PM Modi’s visit in January 2022 to Punjab’s Ferozepur district.

What’s in today’s article?

• Prime Minister’s security Planning (how it is done, different layers of security, contingency plan, ways to deal with spontaneous protests)

How is PM’s security planned?

• Planning of the PM’s security during any visit involves central agencies and state police forces. Broad guidelines are laid down in what is called the SPG’s Blue Book.
  • SPG (Special Protection Group) is mainly responsible for PM’s security.
• Three days before any planned visit the SPG holds a mandatory Advance Security Liaison (ASL) with everyone involved in securing the event.
  • This also includes Intelligence Bureau officials in the concerned state, state police officials and the concerned district magistrate.
• Once the meeting is over, an ASL report is prepared, based on which all security arrangements are made.

What is chalked out during the meeting?

• The meeting discusses how the PM would arrive (by air, road or rail) and, once he lands, how he would reach the venue (generally by helicopter or road).
  • Inputs of central agencies and local intelligence are taken into consideration.
• The security of the venue — which involves aspects such as entry and exit, frisking of those coming to the venue, and placing of door frame metal detectors — is discussed.
  • Even the structural stability of the dais is checked.

Different layers of security

• SPG only gives proximate security.
• When PM is travelling to any state, it is the responsibility of the state police to ensure overall security.
  • They have the responsibility of intelligence gathering, route clearance, venue sanitisation and crowd management.
• Central intelligence agencies are responsible for providing inputs about any threat.
  • However, it is the SPG that takes the final call on how the security is to be arranged.
    • The SPG never allows the PM’s movement until the local police give the go-ahead.
• State police are also supposed to conduct anti-sabotage checks and secure the route by placing not only men on the roads but also snipers on rooftops.
  • The state police also provide a pilot that leads the PM’s cavalcade.
  • If he is likely to stay at a place, an SP-level officer is deputed as camp commandant to ensure security.
  • During public meetings, rallies and road shows, apart from policemen, an SP is deputed to post men in plain-clothes for security.

What happens if plans change suddenly?

• A contingency plan is always made in advance. That is why the weather report is taken into consideration.
  • If because of bad weather, the PM can’t fly to the venue.
    • So, an alternative route by road is planned in advance, the route is sanitised and security placed on the road even if the PM is supposed to fly.
  • If for any reason the route is found to be not clear, the state police do not give the go-ahead. The visit is cancelled.

What if there are spontaneous protests?

• Protests are always a threat to any VIP’s visit and thus elaborate planning is made in advance by the state police to thwart them.
• Generally, local intelligence has inputs on which groups are planning a protest and preventive action is taken.
• Physical and electronic surveillance is mounted to gather information on such surprises.
  • If there is a planned protest that cannot be stalled, then the route is avoided.

Background:

• On January 5, 2022 the Prime Minister’s cavalcade, on its way to Hussainiwala in Punjab, ran into a blockade by protesters en-route.
• As a result, the convoy stranded on a flyover in Punjab’s Ferozepur district for around 20 minutes - a major breach of security protocol.
• On January 13, responding to the PILs filed, the SC had set up a 5-member committee headed by Justice Indu Malhotra to inquire into security lapses.
• In August 2022, the SC-appointed committee has indicted the then Ferozepur SSP Harmandeep Singh Hans for serious lapses in the PM security case.
  • The committee has also suggested certain remedial measures and safeguards required for the Prime Minister’s security. This includes:
    • Constitution of an oversight committee for periodic revision and updation of the Blue Book
    • holding sensitisation courses for training police officers and
    • security planning for VVIP visits.