PM Manmohan Singh pardons shoe-hurler

AHMEDABAD: Shoe-flingers seem to have become the biggest talking point in the 15th Lok Sabha elections, with their latest target being Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

On Sunday, a computer engineering student hurled his footwear at Mr Singh who was addressing a public meeting in Paldi area of Ahmedabad. The youth, identified has Hitesh Chauhan, was later forgiven by PM, who asked authorities not to take any action against him. The incident happened on a hot afternoon when PM was addressing a select audience of party workers at Sanskar Kendra.

Barely a few minutes into his speech, the youth, in his early 20s, sitting in the front row near the media enclosure hurled a sneaker towards the dais. The footwear, however, failed to reach the elevated dais which was about 30 meters away from the audience.

The security personnel, standing nearby, caught hold of the youth and whisked him away. He was immediately taken to the Ahmedabad Crime Branch office where he was questioned.