The flying of black balloons by some Congress party workers in Andhra Pradesh at Gannavaram airport on Monday has come as a big embarrassment to the state police, following reports that the Union home minister is inquiring into the possibility of a security lapse.
Some black balloons were seen flying in air closer to the helicopter of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, minutes after he left the Gannavaram airport to Bhimavaram to take part in the 125th anniversary celebrations of revolutionary freedom fighter Alluri Sitarama Raju.
The Krishna district police later claimed that four Congress workers were arrested for releasing black balloons in the air near Gannavaram airport near Vijayawada during the arrival of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. One more Congress worker is absconding.
The police denied the reports that there was a security breach at the airport in flying of the black balloons. They said the Congress leaders had given a nationwide call to oppose PM Modi by showing black balloons.
As a precautionary measure, the Krishna district police had imposed sections Sec 30 Police Act, and Sec 144. Before the PM's arrival, at around 8:30 am, three people namely Sunkadara Padmashree, Parvathi and Kishore were seen walking towards the airport with black balloons.
The police identified them and apprehended the three and booked them under sections 353, 341, 188, 145 of IPC. The balloons were also burst by the police.
Five minutes after PM Modi took off from Gannavaram airport, at a place named Soorampalli, 4.5 kilometers away from the airport, two Congress members namely Rajeev Ratan and Ravi Prakash climbed an under construction apartment and released the balloons. By the time they released the balloons, PM Modi's chopper had left the airport.
As of now Ravi Prakash has been taken into custody while Rajeev Ratan is said to be absconding. The police are on the look-out for him, the police said.
However, BJP state president Somu Veerraju strongly condemned the Congress protests and flying of black balloons during the Prime Minister’s visit.
“There is a big conspiracy behind flying of balloons closer to Modi’s helicopter. We shall lodge a complaint with the Union home ministry on this incident,” he said.
It is learnt the Union home ministry sought a report from the state police in this regard, besides initiating a probe by the Central intelligence.