After a video in which a security guard is seen wielding a baton for the purpose of crowd management went viral, several social media users raised questions over the standard operating procedure for controlling unruly crowds.
The person in the video was later identified as a guard engaged by a DMRC contractor. In the video, CISF personnel can be seen standing next to the guard.
The incident, which took place at Noida Sector 62 metro station, was filmed by Hardik Jain, a commuter. He shared it on Twitter and asked if the staff seen in the video was “authorised to beat passengers like this”. Mr. Jain also wrote, “...if passengers are not cooperating then there are other ways to tackle it.”
In its response, the DMRC issued a statement that read, “The DMRC does not condone the use of such methods for controlling crowds at the stations as seen in the video. The DMRC will be taking up the issue with the CISF to avoid repetition of similar actions in future. We also request cooperation from the public in maintaining decorum within the metro system.”
Meanwhile, CISF officials said: “The man seen in the video is a private security guard deployed by the DMRC at the station entry gates. On Thursday, when the crowd became unruly, the private security guards informed the CISF and sought back-up to control the situation. The video also clearly shows that nobody was hurt and it was just a tactic to manage crowd and channelise entry to the station for smooth operations.”
