Over 60 breaches in Metro security reported this year

Over 60 security breaches either by way of smuggling of unchecked baggages or <g data-gr-id="41">unfrisked</g> entry of passengers at 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 man entered <g data-gr-id="40">thw</g> Chandni Chowk Metro station with a bag containing a pistol and later used it to shoot himself at the busy Rajiv Chowk station.

According to an 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 <g data-gr-id="29">have</g> been reported during the same period where <g data-gr-id="31">unchecked</g> baggage was sneaked in through the unsecured areas in Metro stations.

“ A total of 67 incidents of <g data-gr-id="28">security</g> breach in nine months is a concern for Metro security. Work is on to plug out loopholes and enhance security,” a senior official said.

The concern and figures have been shared by the CISF, mandated to secure the Delhi Metro, with the Home Ministry, central security agencies and the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) for immediate action.

Thankfully, the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) was able to detect these instances and in 40 cases of unchecked baggage at Metro stations, the authorities have fined the <g data-gr-id="36">errants</g>.

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 the 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 NCR – comprising Noida, Ghaziabad, Gurgaon and Faridabad.

CISF personnel, during the same time period, also intercepted 29 cases, where arms and ammunition <g data-gr-id="37">was</g> being carried inside the Metro by passengers either in their luggage or person, knowingly or unknowingly.

While a dozen arms were seized in these instances, 140 rounds of ammunition were recovered at various stations. CISF Director General Surender Singh had recently said that after the incident of a man sneaking with a weapon in Metro on October 1, the force has asked Metro authorities to plug long existing “weak links” in the security infrastructure at some of the stations in its network.