Shahrukh Khan incident has lowered image of US security establishment, says ex-envoy to US

New Delhi, Aug.15 (ANI): India's former ambassador to the United States Naresh Chandra on Saturday said that the detention of Bollywood superstar Shahrukh Khan at Newark International Airport for two hours, clearly exhibited the "ham-handed" approach of American security agencies.

He told ANI over phone that a formal complaint about this harassment should be reported to the US State Department.

Reacting to the incident, Ambassador Chandra said: " The authorities should have taken maximum 10 -15 minutes for questioning Shahrukh, but it took two hours. It is great incompetence and has lowered the image of (US) Homeland Security".

Sources said that Khan was indeed detained at the US airport and questioned for two hours. They said he was released only after Indian Officials intervened.

Sources here said that the Consulate General of New York was in touch with Shahrukh Khan and the matter has been taken up with the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi.

According to sources, the Indian consulate could register a formal complaint against the security agencies involved in this "embarrassing" incident.

Some experts said that a formal complaint should be sent to the US envoy in Delhi.

Chandra, however, said that making it a big diplomatic issue would be counterproductive because the incident had nothing to do with US policy, but was the handiwork of lowly officers deployed at the airport. By Naveen Kapoor (ANI)