Mumbai: A security scare unfolded in Mumbai on Tuesday after a man allegedly posed as an official from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) while attempting to gain access to a high-security venue in the Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC), where Prime Minister Narendra Modi was scheduled to attend an event.
Police detained the man during a security check at the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre (NMACC). A second man accompanying him was also questioned after claiming to be his bodyguard. Police subsequently found that the second man was carrying a licensed pistol.
However, Mumbai Police have said there is no established connection between the suspects and the Prime Minister's event. The investigation into why they attempted to enter the area and how the alleged impersonation occurred is continuing.
According to police, the incident occurred as security arrangements were being tightened in BKC ahead of Modi's scheduled appearance.
The main suspect, a 24-year-old man from Kalyan, allegedly identified himself as a PMO official while attempting to enter the NMACC premises.
His accompanying associate, reportedly from Khar, claimed to be his bodyguard.
The claims triggered additional scrutiny during the security check. Police questioned the two men and conducted further verification.
The accompanying man was subsequently released after his statement was recorded, while the main suspect was detained for further questioning.
The security concern escalated when police discovered that the alleged bodyguard was carrying a licensed pistol.
The presence of a firearm near a venue under heightened security naturally prompted additional checks, particularly given the proximity to an event involving the Prime Minister.
However, officials have not said that the weapon was intended for use against Modi or anyone attending the event.
At this stage, the firearm's presence and the alleged impersonation are being investigated separately from any possible motive.
Police have said there is no link between the incident and the Prime Minister's event.
This distinction is crucial.
The suspects were detained in the same broader BKC area where Modi was scheduled to attend an event, but authorities have not established that they were targeting the Prime Minister or attempting to breach his security detail.
The incident nevertheless raises questions about how the men managed to reach a high-security area while allegedly using a false official identity.
The BKC police have registered a case against the main suspect over the alleged impersonation of a PMO official.
Investigators are now trying to establish:
Why the man allegedly claimed to be a PMO official
How he obtained or represented the alleged government credentials
Why he attempted to access the venue
What role the accompanying man played
Whether the two men had any larger plan
Whether the firearm had any connection to the attempted entry
The investigation is ongoing.
The incident occurred during heightened security preparations in Mumbai because of the Prime Minister's scheduled programme.
When a high-profile political event is taking place, security agencies typically impose multiple layers of screening around the venue and surrounding areas.
That makes an alleged attempt to enter while claiming to be a PMO official particularly significant — even if investigators ultimately find no connection to the Prime Minister's programme.
There is currently no evidence in the reports that the incident was a terror attack or an assassination attempt.
The facts established so far are narrower: a man allegedly impersonated a PMO official, another individual accompanying him had a licensed firearm, and police detained them for questioning.
The motive remains under investigation.
