BENGALURU: The Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) on Wednesday suspended a security guard for alleged inappropriate behaviour towards a woman passenger at the Jalahalli Metro station on Sunday (March 17) afternoon and has ordered an inquiry into the incident. The matter came to light after a post on X on Tuesday highlighted the complaint sent by the woman to BMRCL accompanied by video evidence.
In her complaint e-mailed to the Travel Desk Helpline of BMRCL on the same day of the incident, the woman charged the guard of continuously staring at her from the platform across and indulging in obscene gestures. The mail said, "This is from a metro passenger (female) sending this mail. Today, I had an experience where a security guard was continuously staring at me simultaneosly making some gestures such as keeping hands on his private parts from the opposite side of the platform. It happened around 2.30 in the noon (afternoon). This happened in Jalahalli Metro station. I was so uncomfortable during the daytime itself. And I tried asking him but still he kept staring at me by doing some gestures. So I started taking a video. Then, the turned aside. I have attached a video proof with this mail. I kindly request you to take some action. I'm not feeling safe."
A post made by user Mohit Bishoni on X on Tuesday released the woman's complaint letter as well as the video she shot which went viral. He charged BMRCL of ignoring the woman's e-mail complaint as well as alleged the Majestic Metro station (Kempegowda) officials of refusing to take a complaint citing jurisdictional issues.
Chief Public Relations Officer, BMRCL, B L Yashwanth Chavan told TNIE, "This security guard deployed by a private firm has been working with Metro for 7 or 8 years. He is squint-eyed and it is there in the records submitted with the agency which has hired him too. There is considerable distance between the opposite platforms of a Metro station. A person in such a condition can get easily misunderstood."
Reiterating that BMRCL was not trying to defend the guard in any manner, he added, "An inquiry has been ordered into the incident and he has been suspended until that. We will examine the incident in a very detailed manner using the multiple security cameras around which will help us view it from from numerous angles."
Apart from informing about the suspension, the official handle of BMRCL said Bengaluru Metro has a zero tolerance policy towards any action detrimental to safety and security of women passengers.
Bengaluru police responded to the social media post saying the complaint was forwarded to the concerned police officers for necessary action and urged the public to dial 112 in case of distress or emergency situation.