CISF forms anti-theft squads to deal with petty crimes in Metro

NEW DELHI: To curb the menace of cheating in Metro, Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) has deployed an Anti-Theft Squad (ATS) in each line of the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC).

According to CISF officials, a group of swindlers has been found to be active in the Metro system at some stations connecting to the railway stations and bus terminals, including Inderprastha, Anand Vihar, Nangloi, Chandni Chowk and New Delhi.

These cheats work with various modus operandi, which includes cheating passengers by claiming to purchase railway tickets and/or Metro cards/tokens for them, without wasting time in long queues and with minimum fuss.

According to an official, they also try to lure passengers by showing them bundle of fake currency and succeed in doing away with their baggage containing valuable items and manage to escape the spot immediately.

"In such case, passengers easily fall into the trap of cheaters. These cheats mostly target passengers who are from outside Delhi. Several complaints are received by CISF and DMRP (Delhi Metro Rail Police) in this connection.

"To curb this menace, the CISF Unit of DMRC recently formed an Anti-Theft Squad for each line in Delhi Metro," said a CISF official.

CISF further observed that on September 22, an incident of fraudulent took place at Shadipur Metro station, wherein a group of swindlers had cheated a 54-year-old female passenger.

The lady had filed a complaint with DMRC and DMRP in this connection.

Anti-Theft Squad of the Blue line analysed the CCTV footage of the incident and began work to nab the miscreants involved in the incident.

Eventually, on Monday, a CISF personnel noticed a group of six such suspected swindlers at Botanical Garden Metro Station and he started following them.

All of them were soon caught by ATS personnel, with the help of other CISF personnel. All the accused were brought to the Station Control Room at Shadipur Metro station by ATS personnel and later arrested.