Over 60 security breaches either by way of smuggling of unchecked baggage or unfrisked entry of passengers inside Delhi Metro stations have been detected this year, underlining the chinks in the armour of the rapid rail network used by an estimated 26 lakh people every day. The number of incidents have rung alarm bells in the security establishment, especially after a recent incident where a bag containing a pistol was allegedly sneaked in by a man which he later used to shoot himself at the busy Connaught Place station.
According to official data, 24 cases were detected between January-September this year, of people clandestinely getting inside the station area by hoodwinking CISF and other security guards deployed to mandatorily frisk each and every person going inside the Metro station area. A total of 43 incidents have been reported during the same period where unchecked baggage was sneaked in through the unsecured areas in Metro stations.
The figures and worrying concern have been shared by the CISF, mandated to secure the Delhi Metro, with the Union Home Ministry, central security agencies and Delhi Metro Rail Corporation for immediate intervention and remedial action. Thankfully, the Central Industrial Security Force was able to detect these instances and in 40 cases of unchecked baggage, the Metro authorities fined the errant persons under provisions of relevant laws. Officials said while these incidents did not indicate they were part of a terrorist design or a sabotage act, the issue has been flagged as ‘danger zone’ by CISF and the Intelligence Bureau (IB) in their security audits done more than once within this year in the network with over 150 stations running across Delhi and National Capital Area (NCR) including Noida, Ghaziabad, Gurgaon and Faridabad.
