Kerala: Scare as PM's convoy takes wrong route

Thiruvanathapuram, Nov 01: A pilot vehicle of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's entourage, heading from the airport to the Raj Bhawan here, diverted from the original route, causing panic among the security personnel.

A tourist taxi driver engaged by the police was taken into custody and Sub-Inspector Balachandran, who was in charge of the Prime Minister's convoy, has been suspended.

Kerala's Additional Director General of Police Jacob Punnuse was asked to enquire into the whole episode, top police sources said here.

According to eye witnesses, the pilot vehicle took a wrong turn at the Asan Square at Palayam and entered an underpass instead of taking a left turn and entering a flyover. Before the driver could stop the pilot vehicle, eight other vehicles in the convoy also entered the wrong road, leaving the Prime Minister and others stranded for about five minutes.

Senior police officials including Kerala Director General of Police Raman Sreevastava had a tough time in returning the convoy to the original route.

The driver Shiju was taken into cutsody immediately by the police.

UNI

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