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IGI Airport, Metro and railway stations: How Delhi Police is tightening security after espionage arrests
An official source in the Delhi Police said an audit of CCTV cameras has been ongoing for the past two weeks to ensure that no spy cameras are installed in the vicinity.
Delhi Police, along with CISF and RPF, are auditing CCTV systems at IGI Airport and metro stations following the arrest of an espionage module in Ghaziabad. (File Photo)
For the past two weeks, the Delhi Police has been auditing CCTV systems installed in and around railway and metro stations, and the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport.
This comes after the arrest of around two dozen people by the Ghaziabad Police for allegedly being involved in filming military establishments, railway stations, and other sensitive installations across India, and transmitting photographs, videos, and GPS coordinates to foreign handlers.
According to an official source from the Delhi Police, the exercise is being carried out in coordination with the Railways, the Delhi Metro, and paramilitary forces deployed at these locations. Besides the Delhi Police, which oversees the outer security at these sites, the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and the Railway Protection Force (RPF) are entrusted with maintaining surveillance within the inner security ring.
The official source said the audit has been ongoing for the past two weeks to ensure that no spy cameras are installed in the vicinity.
On March 14, the Ghaziabad Police arrested six people, including a woman, for allegedly being involved in activities harmful to national interest, specifically filming railway stations and security force locations and sending footage to foreign handlers. Further arrests were made later.
Soon after these arrests, the RPF recovered a ‘rogue’ CCTV camera installed along a railway track near Sonipat Railway Station, neighbouring Delhi. Another CCTV camera was recovered from a railway track near Delhi Cantonment Railway Station, along the route towards Naraina and Sonipat. Both cameras were recovered based on the interrogation of the accused arrested in connection with the espionage racket in Ghaziabad, said police.
A senior officer told The Indian Express that during the audit and inspections carried out so far along railway tracks across the northern zone, a few locations were found to be vulnerable and are now planned to be secured through fencing.
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“At some places near the railway tracks, cameras were found to have been installed by private individuals residing nearby or owning property in the area, which were subsequently verified. The direction of some of these cameras was also adjusted away from the railway tracks,” the officer said.
The officer added that cameras found to be non-functional are being repaired.
The officer said that CCTV systems at IGI Airport and metro stations have been checked, and no spy cameras were found installed. However, security personnel have been instructed to remain vigilant.
“Patrolling has been increased, and surprise checks are being carried out to ensure that no such activities take place at stations or along railway tracks,” the officer added.
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The Delhi Police has held multiple rounds of meetings with officials from the railways, metro authorities, and the airport to ensure that no anonymous cameras can be installed on the premises.
Following the arrests, the Ghaziabad Police had constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to further probe the alleged espionage ring. A case has been registered under Sections 61(2) (criminal conspiracy) and 152 (acts endangering the sovereignty, unity, and integrity of India) of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita, along with Sections 3 and 5 of the Official Secrets Act.
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