COIMBATORE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a roadshow in Coimbatore city on Monday amid heavy security after an intelligence alert about a security threat and reports of a hoax bomb threat that surfaced just hours before he visited the city. At the end of the rally, he paid homage to the victims of the 1998 serial bomb blast, at RS Puram.
A five-tier security cover was given across his travel route in the city, with personnel from the Special Protection Group (SPG), Central IndustriaI Security Force, Central Reserve Police Force, Coimbatore City Police, and various other units actively involved in conducting thorough investigations.
It was the PM’s first political engagement in the state after the announcement of the seven-phase schedule of the Lok Sabha election on Saturday.
The roadshow started from Saibaba Kovil junction and ended at DB Road-TV Samy Road junction at RS Puram after passing through North Coimbatore, Sindhamani junction, Crosscut junction and East TV Samy Road between 5.45 pm and 6.45 pm.
The roadshow organiser, Coimbatore district unit of the BJP, claimed that the event was held so that the PM can meet the people and sensitise them regarding the various welfare measures and schemes provided by the office of the Prime Minister.
Also police claimed that it was the first roadshow programme in Coimbatore in which the PM participated. No such program has been allowed so far here.
Initially, the Coimbatore city police denied permission for the event citing security threats. But the Madras High Court on Friday ordered the police to allow the roadshow after the party approached it.
Following the court’s order, the distance of the event was reduced from 4 km to 2.6 km after a joint security assessment by the SPG officials and the city police. The areas adjacent to the roadshow were brought under complete security surveillance and vehicle checks in other parts of the city were also intensified. The shops on the route were shut down after 1 pm.
At the venue, RS Puram police asked people to keep their mobile phone in their pant pockets or in handbags, and asked them to avoid holding phones and water bottles in hand.
On February 27, during the public meeting held at Palladam in Tirupur district, a cadre mistakenly threw his mobile phone at PM’s vehicle while showering flowers on him.
A few hours before the event, a private matriculation school at Ramanathapuram in the city received a bomb threat email from an unknown person on Monday morning. The Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad checked thoroughly and declared that it was a hoax threat.
Around 5,000 police personnel from Coimbatore and other districts and 100 SPG officials designated for the prime minister’s security took the entire route under their control.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached Coimbatore Airport by 5.30 pm on a special flight and reached the venue at Saibaba Kovil by 5.50 pm. The roadshow started at 6.10 pm and he reached RS Puram at 7.15 pm where he spent around five minutes and paid homage to the victims of the 1998 bomb blast. He left the venue at 7.20 pm and moved to Circuit House at Red Fields at night.
On Tuesday morning, the PM is scheduled to fly to Kerala by chopper and after attending a program at Palakkad, Modi will reach Salem by helicopter, where he will be addressing a public meeting.
5,000 cops, 100 SPG officials put on duty
Around 5,000 police personnel from Coimbatore and other districts and 100 SPG officials designated for the prime minister’s security took the entire route under their control.