Sikh protests: CISF beefs up security at Metro stations

The CISF has beefed up security at all Metro stations in the wake of the second day of protest on Thursday against the acquittal of Congress leader Sajjan Kumar in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots case.

“Additional security personnel have been deployed at metro stations. The CCTV footage is being continuously monitored to avoid any untoward incident,” said Central Industrial Security Force spokesperson Hemendra Singh. “Even Delhi Metro Rail Police have deployed more men at the entry gates of stations that witness heavy footfall.”
Pragya, a BTech student said, “I take Metro from Malvia Nagar to Lajpat Nagar.

Today (on Thursday) there were more security personnel at stations than usual.”
The spokesperson said shortage of manpower at stations is the biggest challenge the force faces in keeping the Metro safe. “On Wednesday, we managed to close three out of the four gates at Subhash Nagar Metro station. The protesters managed to enter the station through the fourth gate,” he said.

About 60 agitators had barged into the station and marched on the tracks on Wednesday.

The spokesperson said, “CISF has requested the government for an additional 3,000 security personnel. There should be a quick reaction team at every station.”

He added that it would be helpful if more frisking equipments could be provided to them. “There should be stand-by scanning equipments and x-ray machines at stations so that if equipment fails, it can be replaced without disrupting operations,” he said.

On Wednesday, Metro services were disrupted for a few hours. Some Sikh groups held a demonstration against the acquittal of Sajjan Kumar on Tuesday by a city court in a case related to the killing of five persons in Delhi Cantonment area during anti-Sikh riots.

The riots had taken place following the assassination of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on October 31, 1984.