Ride at risk as no security check for men in uniform

In the wake of the recent terror attack at Pathankot airbase, security agencies across the country claim to be on their toes to ensure the safety of citizens. But measures being followed by personnel of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) at Metro stations against men in uniform raise a question on the security of passengers, using Delhi’s lifeline.

Most of the time, CISF personnel do not frisk a person in uniform, thereby, allowing him/ her to enter the ‘highly-secured’ Metro premises and board the train – putting the lives of lakhs of passengers at risk. The Delhi Metro records a daily footfall over 28 lakh approximately.

Millennium Post has learnt that there is a protocol that CISF personnel deployed at Metro stations need to follow with a person in uniform. At the check-in point of every station, the CISF maintains a register, wherin the security personnel record the details of a person in uniform and the weapon that s/he is carrying.

However, there is not a process in place, which ensures quick verification of the details entered by a person in uniform.

Metro stations are a sensitive place and intelligence agencies have often shared inputs about terror threat at the facilities. “Whenever such an input is shared, the agencies beef up the security, but after a few days the situation is back to normal,” said an official in the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), requesting anonymity.

He added that CISF officials deployed at checking points at Metro stations, go easy with the commuters in uniform. Most of the time, they carry loaded weapons.

“For instance, when a person in CISF or Delhi Police uniform, carrying a sophisticated weapon, enters a Metro premises, s/he undergoes the security check but the security official does not bother to check her/his identity card and ask her/him about the licence of the weapon. The person is, thereby, allowed to check-in and board the Metro train without passing through a proper security check, which poses a threat to the lives of thousands of passengers,” he added.

“People in uniform can be terrorists or criminals, misleading CISF personnel to get an easy entry Metro stations. After evading security check, they can target commuters or hijack a Metro train,” said a source in the DMRC.

Some CISF personnel at Metro stations said they often allow a person in uniform go without a security check. At times, if a person is in CISF uniform, s/he is allowed to enter the premises using a special gate, in which s/he is not required to use a smart card or token.

Another CISF personnel, requesting anonymity, said: “Most of the time, men in uniform travel in groups (four to six). At least one or two in the group are known to the personnel posted at security check, so s/he allows all in uniform to enter the station without undergoing a security check.”

The CISF ensures the highest level of security at 149 Metro stations criss-crossing the national Capital. 

To ensure the security of passengers, CISF personnel have started monitoring CCTV cameras at every Metro station. This is besides the monitoring of CCTV cameras at two main control rooms of the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation. 

However, the spokesperson of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) denied that there is any sort of security lapse at Metro stations. 

He added. “A proper register is maintained at all Metro stations, in which a commuter travelling with weapon has to pen-down his identity along with weapon details. Further it is verified by the security officers.”