Jharkhand: ASI Among Three Cops Suspended For Lapse In PM Modi's Security In Ranchi

The action was taken after a woman appeared in front of PM Modi's convoy while it was on its way to Bhagwan Birsa Munda Memorial Park-cum-Freedom Fighter Museum.

An ASI was among three policemen suspended due to a security lapse during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Ranchi earlier this week on the birth anniversary of tribal icon Birsa Munda, PTI reported. A police officer said the action was taken after a woman appeared in front of PM Modi's convoy while it was on its way to Bhagwan Birsa Munda Memorial Park-cum-Freedom Fighter Museum on Wednesday.

The woman was immediately removed by security personnel and taken into custody. "An ASI and two constables have been suspended for dereliction of duty during the prime minister's visit," a police statement said.

The woman has been identified as Sangita Jha, a resident of Deoghar. Jha told police that she was upset with her husband and wanted to lodge a complaint against him, PTI reported. Jha arrived in Ranchi after coming to know that PM Modi would be in the state capital on Tuesday and Wednesday.

"During interrogation, the woman said that she was married to a man at Jamuni village in Jharkhand's Deoghar district in 2012. But, a dispute between them started in 2016 and there was regular scuffle," Ranchi Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Chandan Kumar Sinha told PTI. 

The woman had, in fact, previously visited Delhi to meet the Prime Minister and President with her complaint.

"The woman wants the salary of her husband to be credited in her bank account. In this regard, she also went to Delhi in October this year to meet the PM and stayed there for 10 days. After failing, she also tried to meet the President. When all efforts went in vain, she returned to her in-laws' house in Deoghar," the SSP further said.

The woman had first tried to meet PM Modi during his roadshow on Tuesday night. However, it did not bear fruit and then she visited Raj Bhavan on Wednesday. "She was returning disappointed from Raj Bhavan. But, she suddenly heard the siren of PM's convoy at Radium road and came suddenly in front of the convoy," SSP Sinha told PTI.

PM Modi held a 10-km roadshow on Tuesday and the next morning he paid floral tribute at the statue of tribal icon Birsa Munda at near Jail Chowk in Ranchi.

Later, he visited Ulihatu village, becoming the first PM to visit the birthplace of Birsa Munda. He also launched a Rs 24,000 crore scheme for the welfare of particularly vulnerable tribal groups (PVTG) in an effort to reach out to the tribal community amid the election season.