Kalam stranded on highway due to technical fault in vehicle

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Former President A. P. J. Abdul Kalam was stranded for about half-an-hour on a highway here after his car developed a technical fault and district authorities reportedly failed to provide him an alternate vehicle.

Kalam was on his way to New Delhi after attending a function in Modinagar when his bullet proof car developed a technical fault last night at around 7 pm on NH-58 near Sikri village.

He had to wait for about 25 minutes with only two policemen with him and no vehicle could be provided to him by the district administration, the President's private secretary said.

Later, the private secretary contacted the hosts of the event, which the President had attended and they sent a car, which took him to Delhi.

However, SSP Raghubir Lal said the police did not receive any information from the President for requirement of a vehicle.

Kalam was provided with adequate security under the protocol of former president, Lal said.

District Magistrate Shashi Bhushan Kumar Susheel also denied having any knowledge of the incident.