He was stopped by the UAE President’s security detail. (file)
New Delhi:
After an apparent breach of protocol by a car from US President Joe Biden’s convoy at a New Delhi hotel where the UAE Crown Prince was staying, another incident of a similar security lapse has come to light involving the President of UAE on the same day at the same hotel. A Saudi Arabian national on Saturday flew to India, entered the five-star hotel where UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan was staying, and was stopped by security personnel while trying to approach him in the hotel lobby to seek help for his ailing brother, sources said.
The man, reportedly a police officer from Saudi Arabia, reached the Taj Mansingh Hotel in central Delhi in a hotel car that had a G20 security clearance sticker.
He had flown to Delhi recently and was staying at a hotel in Aerocity, which is near the Delhi airport, and wanted to meet the UAE crown prince to seek help for his brother, who is undergoing treatment for a terminal illness in Saudi Arabia, souces said.
He spotted and approached the UAE President after waiting in the lobby of the hotel for a long time, but was stopped by the President’s security detail.
After an interaction with the UAE President’s security in-charge, he was allowed to meet the UAE President.
The man was taken into custody by the Delhi police, and was let go after hours of interrogation by various investigative agencies.
The Delhi police had issued G20 security clearance stickers for hotel taxis as well.
