Delhi Metro coaches to be patrolled by police, DMRC staff after row over viral videos

PTI

New Delhi, May 16

The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation has decided to boost patrolling by uniformed security personnel and staffers in plain clothes aboard trains after several inappropriate videos of riders caused controversy in recent weeks, officials said on Tuesday.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Metro) Jitendra Mani said a strict action as per the law will be taken against “those found indulging in any obscene activities” inside the metro or around its premises.

Police said their personnel in plain clothes have been keeping a strict vigil in coordination with the DMRC and the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) to ensure no untoward incident takes place.

The latest video that surfaced on social media purportedly showed a couple kissing as they sat on the floor of a metro coach. The DMRC appealed commuters to refrain from indulging in obscene activities.

It recently wrote to Delhi Police to boost patrolling at stations and inside metro coaches to curb such incidents, sources said.

In light of the videos, the metro is looking to improve security and surveillance by implementing several measures, a senior official said, adding one such measure is patrolling in trains by uniformed police personnel and plain clothes DMRC staff.

Police said “strict action” will be taken against those found involved in such acts and persons who upload these “vulgar videos” will also be held responsible for violating the law and privacy of other individuals.

DMRC official said there are CCTV cameras in coaches on all lines, except on some old trains on the Line-1. CCTVs are being installed in those coaches and at metro stations to monitor any objectionable activity, they said.

This will help deter threats and inconvenience to passengers, including women, they added.

The video of the couple kissing in a metro coach has enraged many social media users who urged the DMRC to take action. Others questioned the idea of filming the act.

The DMRC has requested commuters to report such incidents to the nearest available metro staff/CISF immediately so that appropriate action can be taken.

The CISF is tasked with guarding the Delhi metro premises and responding to any situation inside coaches. A dedicated Delhi Metro Rail Police is also present to deal with any untoward activity.

In April, a video purportedly showing a scantily-clad woman travelling in a Delhi Metro coach went viral on social media, prompting the DMRC to request its commuters to maintain social etiquette.

The DMRC in the past had appealed to the people through its social media handles, to not film videos or make reels by causing inconvenience to fellow riders. The Delhi metro authority has its own flying squad which is operational every day, another senior official said.

The DCP (Metro) requested commuters to inform the security agencies in case they find “anything obscene”, instead of putting up videos of such acts on Twitter or other social media platforms. They should immediately dial helplines 112 or 1511 or intimate the DMRC or CISF personnel, he said.

Commuters help is required and Delhi Police request the public to become their eyes and ears, and share such specific information with police, the police official said.

“Persons who upload videos of such obscene acts are also responsible for violating the law and privacy of those individuals by putting such videos online,” he said.

In case, proper action needs to be taken, then police should be informed and specific details should be shared about the metro train, such as time of incident, coach number, and place. And these need to be passed to the police on helpline 112 or metro police help line 1511, since on an average there is a footfall of over 55 lakh passengers on metro stations, and it becomes challenging for probe agencies to trace the alleged persons, the police official added.

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