Security breach in Madurai as youth shakes hands with Rahul Gandhi in moving car

In a security breach, a youth clambered on the footboard of Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi's car and shook hands with him as the vehicle started moving here today, police said.

Gandhi, who garlanded a statue of late Dalit leader and former Congress minister P Kakkan at a city locality, was leaving the place after shaking hands with some people when the youth came running from behind the vehicle and got on its footboard, they said.

Even as the power windows of the car were rising, the youth managed to slip his hand in and shook hands with Gandhi. The car then slowed down and Special Protection Group security personnel asked him to get down. Later he was taken away by police for questioning.

The incident caused some anxious moments for securitymen. "What shocked us was the automatic windows of the car were raising when the youth slipped in his hand to greet Gandhi. Either of them could have been hurt if their hands had got trapped between the window glass and frame," an Intelligence Bureau official said.

It was also possible the youth could have fallen as the car was on the move, he said.

"He could be an innocent person who is a fan of Gandhi and just wanted to shake hands with him. We are investigating," officials said.

Earlier, after garlanding the statue of Kakkan, a former Tamil Nadu minister known for his integrity and simple life, on the occasion of his death anniversary today, Gandhi shook hands with some of the people who had gathered there and continued doing so even after getting into the car.