Srinagar, Aug 15: Taking the hurling of shoe on Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, on Sunday as a “security-lapse”, the investigation agencies have started questioning some civil and police officials, who were on duty at Bakshi Stadium here where the shoe missed the high profile target.
 Greater Kashmir has learnt from reliable sources that the police have started quizzing officials from the two departments adding that at least 20 of them were questioned at the first instance.
 Sources said the Central Pavilion, where from the accused Head Constable, Abdul Ahad Jan, shot his brown shoe towards the Chief Minister was under strict security cover of state’s elite force the Special Security Group (SSG).
 Only the VIPs were entitled of a seat in the Central Pavilion, which has a seating capacity of around 250 persons. Prior to the event, early in the morning, the SSG commandos are understood to have held a meeting at the venue. It was resolved that they would take the vacant seats during the event while a group was asked to specially check the Invitation Cards for the VIP lounge on random basis.
 Sources said in wake of unrest in Kashmir, the security agencies had asked the Divisional Commissioner’s Kashmir office to be “selective in giving invitations for the VIP pavilion”.
 The seating arrangements for the VIPs was finalized this morning with the security agencies designating a particular seat for every invitee.
 Source said the SSG members checked at-least thrice the invitation cards and also ensured that they took seats as per the plan.
 But the presence of the Abdul Ahad Jan in the VIP arena in the third row took the agencies by surprise when he stood up and threw the shoe.
 During the day, the state police is learnt to have held meeting of officials exclusively from the Jammu and Kashmir police to look into the incident.
 A senior official while talking to Greater Kashmir said that not the hurling of shoe but the presence of the Head Constable in the VIP lounge was a security lapse.
 “The attack wasn’t carried out using a weapon but a footwear, which everybody is supposed to wear. So not the abortive bid but his (accused) presence at the particular spot is a lapse,” explained an official.

15 POLICEMEN SUSPENDED
 Meanwhile, authorities have suspended 15 policemen in connection with a shoe being hurled at Chief Minister Omar Abdullah at the I-Day function here.
 Official sources said the policemen four of whom who were of sub-inspector rank faced the action pending an inquiry for lax security arrangements which enabled the constable Abdul Ahad Jan, who hurled the shoe at Chief Minister, to enter the highly-fortified Bakshi Stadium.
 Jan, who was in the VIP enclosure behind the rows where Omar was taking salute from marching contingents after unfurling the tri-colour, was overpowered and arrested.

Lastupdate on : Sun, 15 Aug 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sun, 15 Aug 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Mon, 16 Aug 2010 00:00:00 IST