Parliament security breach: five arrested; search on for 1 more
The Delhi Police suspects the involvement of six people and all of them were staying in Gurugram
In a major security breach on the anniversary of the December 13, 2001 Parliament attack, two persons on Wednesday jumped into the Lok Sabha chamber from the public gallery and opened canisters that emitted a yellow-coloured smoke, triggering panic among the MPs.
The two intruders jumped from public gallery number four at around 1 pm when Zero Hour was in progress. They also shouted slogans like 'Tanashahi nahi chalegi' (dictatorship will not be allowed). Outside Parliament, two individuals, including a woman, were detained for protesting using cans that released colour smoke, the police said. The two persons were overpowered by the Lok Sabha members and the watch and ward staff.
The Delhi Police suspects six people were involved, and five have been arrested so far. The accused have been identified as Amol Shinde, Neelam, Sagar Sharma, Manoranjan, Lalit and Vishal.
All six were known to each other and stayed in a house in Gurugram. Amol and Neelam -- caught outside the Parliament -- and Sagar Sharma and Manoranjan D -- held inside the Lok Sabha chamber -- are in police custody. Vishal has been detained from Gurugram, and a hunt is on to nab Lalit.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said a thorough investigation of the incident has been ordered and necessary instructions have been issued to the Delhi Police. As per preliminary reports there was no dangerous chemical in the yellow smoke or in the canisters recovered from the protestors who had jumped into the Lok Sabha well from the visitors’ gallery during Zero Hour, he said.
(With Agency inputs)
Live Updates
- 13 Dec 2023 4:11 PM IST
Attack on Indian democracy: Raghav Chadha
"I won't call this an ordinary security breach, I would say that this is an attack on the Indian democracy," says AAP Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha.
- 13 Dec 2023 4:10 PM IST
Step up security arrangements, says RJD MP
"The security lapse should be accepted (by the government) and instead of taking any extreme step, like barring all the visitors or journalists, step up the security arrangements," says RJD MP Manoj Jha
- 13 Dec 2023 4:09 PM IST
Reached Parliament on our own: Accused
Preliminary investigation details in the Parliament security breach case reveal that the two people - Neelam and Amol (caught outside the Parliament building inside the premises)-were not carrying mobile phones. They were not carrying any bags or identity proofs. They claim that they reached Parliament on their own and refused association with any organisation. Police are forming a special team for interrogation: Delhi Police
- 13 Dec 2023 3:50 PM IST
Opposition walks out of Rajya Sabha
Opposition walks out of Rajya Sabha as Chair and Treasury refuse discussion on security breach. Piyush Goyal accuses Congress of using the security breach incident as an excuse to not participate in the ongoing RS discussion on the Central Universities Amendment Bill under which a tribal university is to be established in Telangana, where the Congress has just formed a government.
- 13 Dec 2023 3:49 PM IST
Kharge hits back at Goyal
Kharge hits out at Goyal saying Congress always stands for country's security and integrity, it has sacrificed it's leaders for the country; the BJP hasn't even sacrificed a "chuha" (rat)... they should not be telling us what issues to raise and what to not raise when security of Parliament has been breached
- 13 Dec 2023 3:48 PM IST
Congress politicising security breach: Goyal
Leader of the House Piyush Goyal accuses Congress of politicising the security breach by demanding an immediate discussion. Says LoP Kharge and his party must wait for the inquiry to end, assures statement from the government after the inquiry
- 13 Dec 2023 3:45 PM IST
Serious security lapse: Tharoor
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor says, "The fact that these people were apparently sponsored by a sitting MP of the ruling party...These people smuggled in smoke pistols which show there is a serious security lapse. Not only they fired the pistols but also shouted some slogans inaudible to some of us. The new building does not seem to be configured very well when it comes to security by comparison with the arrangements in the old building...."
- 13 Dec 2023 3:40 PM IST
Necessary precautions not taken: Choudhary
"On the same morning (of Dec 13) in 2001, the old Parliament was attacked. While we agree this attack is not the same as that one, does this not prove that necessary precautions were not taken?" says LoP Adhir Ranjan Choudhary
- 13 Dec 2023 3:38 PM IST
Massive security breach, says Shiv Sena MP
"Yesterday, I had raised the issue of Gurpatwant Singh Pannun's threat to attack the Parliament, but the issue was ignored. This is a massive security breach," says Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi
- 13 Dec 2023 3:36 PM IST
Home Minister should come clear on security breach, says Tharoor
"These people (the arrested suspects) did something which may not have caused any major damage, but imagine it had been more serious. This is the anniversary of the assault on Parliament in 2001. Now we are seeing another breach of security on that anniversary. The Speaker has convened the floor leaders for a meeting at 4 pm, but I do believe that the matter is serious enough that Home Minister may want to explain to the nation about the security lapses and security arrangements," says Congress MP Shashi Tharoor
