CISF to patrol ‘dark areas’ at Delhi Metro stations

New Delhi, Nov 17 (IANS) In the wake of an incident of molestation inside a metro station, the CISF on Friday issued a direction for its quick reaction teams (QRTs), including women commandos, to increase patrols in the dark and un-manned areas inside Delhi Metro stations.

The decision was taken at a Delhi Metro security review meeting chaired by Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) Director General O.P. Singh.

Singh issued stern orders to ensure that areas like entry and exit points of all metro stations and unmanned passages, which are not part of the security mandate of the force, are also put under an increased surveillance by patrol teams that keep swinging between multiple stations.

The CISF has its vehicle-borne QRTs which patrol between four and five stations to thwart any unprecedented incident of crime.

The QRTs have trained commandos equipped with smart communication gadgets and arms to handle any security threat.

"The quick reaction teams have been directed to increase their patrols and effectively check grey areas in the metro stations. The women personnel have also been asked to enhance vigil to check crime against ladies," he said.

The CISF personnel are deployed well inside the station, just before the entry into the paid area, to physically frisk passengers and their luggage.

The CISF is tasked with securing the Delhi Metro but some areas like entry and exit points and the passage to the stations, called unpaid areas, are not under its cover. These areas are secured jointly by the CISF and the metro unit of the Delhi Police.

In its order, the CISF chief has also asked the Commanding Officers of the paramilitary force deputed at all the metro lines to undertake night patrols at the stations which have vulnerable spots.

The CISF DG has also reportedly discussed security preparedness in Delhi Metro with Delhi Police Commissioner Amulya Patnaik.

The CISF took the measures after a tea stall worker, identified as Akhilesh, was arrested on Thursday for molesting a reporter of an English daily at the ITO Metro station. He was drunk at the time of the incident, police had said.

Police also said that the man had allegedly molested another woman just before he repeated the act with the journalist.

A CCTV footage of the molestation of the woman journalist on Friday went viral on social media and television channels picked it up.