Months before he jumped into the Lok Sabha chamber with a smoke colour canister in hand, Manoranjan D from Mysuru found a key gap in parliament's security apparatus that he and his associate, Sagar Sharma, exploited to create chaos in the House yesterday.
According to police sources, Manoranjan has revealed during questioning that he attended proceedings during Budget session in the old parliament building. This was a recce visit to understand the security checks in place. During this visit, he found that while visitors to parliament are frisked multiple times, their shoes are not checked.
Yesterday, Manoranjan D and Sagar Sharma hid colour smoke canisters inside their shoes. They then proceed to the visitors' gallery with passes issued by the office of BJP MP Pratap Simha. They passed the security checks without being detected. Later, they jumped from the visitors' gallery into the chamber and deploying the colour smoke before being overpowered.
The Mysuru MP has explained in his response to Speaker that Manoranjan's father had approached him for a visitor's pass. Notably, MPs often arrange for passes for residents of their constituency so that they can come and see how parliament functions.
The four arrested in this connection have told police that their objective behind the move was to highlight Manipur unrest, unemployment and farmers' issues.
Police have also found during questioning that Sagar Sharma came to Delhi in July for another recce during the Monsoon session, the sources said. He could not get access to Parliament and focused on the security arrangements outside.
The shocking scenes in Lok Sabha yesterday has put under the spotlight lapses in parliament's security and the serious consequences they may have. Yesterday was the 22nd anniversary of the 2001 Parliament attack that claimed nine lives. Incidentally, Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun had threatened an attack on or before December 13. Many have pointed out how the security apparatus could not prevent the breach despite being on high alert.
Manoranjan and Sagar Sharma have been arrested along with Neelam Azad and Amol Shinde, who used coloured smoke to protest outside Parliament. The four face charges under anti-terror law Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and IPC. Another accused, Vicky Sharma, and his wife, Rakhi, have been detained. Accused Lalit Jha fled the spot and is still on the run.
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