Lok Sabha security breach: Visitors' entry inside Parliament complex suspended

After the security breach on Wednesday, the Indian Parliament has stopped making all visitor passes with immediate effect. Also, the entry of all personal assistants of parliamentarians except that of Union ministers has been disallowed in the building. Earlier in the day, two people jumped into the Lok Sabha chamber from the public gallery and they were allegedly carrying valid visitors’ passes for the day. The visitors’ passes for the Parliament are issued for about two hours. Not just the Parliament, but the Maharashtra Assembly too has stopped issuing gallery passes for the ongoing winter session. A security officer of the Assembly had written a letter to the Maharashtra Speaker a few days ago requesting to limit visitors’ passes as “there is intelligence report that visitors can indulge in improper activity.” Security breach in Parliament On Wednesday afternoon, two people jumped into the Lok Sabha chamber from the public gallery and opened canisters that emitted a similar-coloured smoke, triggering panic among the MPs. Congress leader in the Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said, “One person was seen leaping over the benches of the Lok Sabha while another was seen dangling from the public gallery, spraying some tear gas when Zero Hour was in progress.” One of them was identified as Sagar Sharma, while the second intruder was identified as Manoranjan D. A senior police officer said the intruders were in the Parliament security unit’s custody. “Both are being interrogated by security officials. They will be handed over to the local police,” the officer added. A few minutes later, a man and a woman were arrested for protesting outside the Parliament building carrying cans that emitted yellow and red smoke. They were later identified as Neelam, 42, of Haryana’s Hisar, and Amol Shinde, 25, of Maharashtra’s Latur. After opening the gas canisters that emitted smoke outside the Parliament building, the two shouted “Tanashahi Nahi Chalegi” (dictatorship will not be allowed), “Bharat Mata Ki Jai” and “Jai Bheem, Jai Bharat,” officials said. While she was being taken away by police personnel, the woman told reporters that they did not belong to any organisation and were students. “My name is Neelam. The Indian government is subjecting us to oppression; when we raise our voices for our rights, we are beaten and thrown into jail. We are subjected to undue force. We do not belong to any organisation. We are students and we are unemployed. “Our parents work as labourers, farmers and some are small shopkeepers. An attempt is being made to suppress our voices. Dictatorship will not work,” she said. Police said the two were arrested for violating prohibitory orders that are perennially in force in the area. The area around the Parliament was turned into a fortress following the incidents with the deployment of police and paramilitary. Delhi Police Commissioner Sanjay Arora visited the Parliament to take stock of the situation after the twin security breach. The Delhi Police’s Special Cell has been tasked with the investigation of both the incidents, according to officials. Forensic teams visited the Parliament to gather scientific and physical evidence. The incidents came on a day when the nation is observing the anniversary of the 2001 Parliament attack. Terrorists of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed outfits attacked the Parliament complex on this day in 2001, killing nine people. With inputs from PTI