A day after massive security breach in the Lok Sabha, drastic security change was witnessed in the Parliament on Thursday, with security personnel deputed on the entrance of the outer gates insisting to remove even shoes despite doing minute frisking of those entering the premises of the campus.
Earlier, the security personnel were not generally focus on removing shoes of those entering the Parliament premises. The new security set-up looks similar to that of the airport where shoes, especially long boots or a few made of leather, are asked to open during security check.
The move was adopted a day after Manoranjan D and Sagar Sharma were arrested for breaking into the Lok Sabha and jumping from the visitors’ gallery and opening smoke cans that were hide by them in their shoes.
The major change in the security set-up is equally applied on all from Parliament staff to the media persons allowed inside based on individual passes.
Besides, the security personnel have applied restriction for media to stand nearly 50-60 metre away from ‘Makar Dwar’ of the New Parliament building– one of the six entry gates from where majority of legislators enter.
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Four people were arrested on Wednesday over the security breach in the Parliament under charges of the anti-terror Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).
Manoranjan D and Sagar Sharma were arrested for breaking into the Lok Sabha and jumping from the visitors’ gallery and opening smoke cans, while Neelam Azad and Amol Shinde were held outside Parliament where they opened similar smoke canisters.
After the security of Parliament was breached, the Secretary General of Lok Sabha wrote to the Ministry of Home Affairs over a review of security and decision was taken that no passes will be issued for the visitors’ gallery till further orders.
On request from Lok Sabha Secretariat, Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Wednesday ordered an enquiry of Parliament security breach incident, and an enquiry committee was set-up under Central Reserve Police Force Director General Anish Dayal Singh with members from other security agencies and experts.
As per MHA, the enquiry committee will investigate into the reasons for breach in security of Parliament, identify lapses and recommend further action. “The Committee will submit its report with recommendations, including suggestions on improving security in Parliament, at the earliest,” the MHA had said.Earlier, the Lok Sabh Speaker Om Birla had also met with leaders of political parties over the security breach incident, and agreed with the Opposition leaders raising concerns related to security, assuring that security would be reviewed.
The major security breach on the Lok Sabha occurred on the 22nd anniversary of the Parliament terror attack when the two arrested intruders entered the chamber of the Lower House from the visitor gallery during Zero Hour.
The intruders then jumped from one seat to other and took out canisters when MPs tried to catch them. They released yellow gas from canisters and shouted slogans before being overpowered by the legislators. The House was them adjourned till 2 pm on Wednesday.
The incident happened when members were raising matters of urgent public importance and BIP MP Khagen Murmu was raising his issue.
Simultaneously, two individuals, including a woman, sprayed colored gas and shouted slogans outside the Parliament premises.