A bizarre incident has come to light on the Kolkata Metro, where a man was caught on CCTV footage spraying black paint on the doors of a train compartment. The incident occurred on the busy কবি সুভাষ-দক্ষিণেশ্বর metro route, raising concerns about security and vandalism on the Kolkata Metro.
The individual, described as wearing a blue shirt and carrying a bag, was seen defacing the train doors with what appeared to be spray paint. He nonchalantly marked 'cross' symbols and random patterns across multiple doors of a metro rake, while other passengers were present. What makes the incident even more unsettling is that the train was reportedly not crowded at the time.
The Metro authorities have filed a complaint with the police regarding the incident. According to officials, this act constitutes damage to government property, which is a punishable offense under the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The police have launched an investigation, collecting the CCTV footage in an attempt to identify and apprehend the culprit. As of now, the identity of the man and his motives remain unknown. Authorities have stated that the individual's actions didn't obviously contain any political, religious, or hateful messaging, so his motivation remains unclear.
The incident has triggered a wave of concern among commuters and security experts alike. Questions are being raised about how such an act of vandalism could occur despite the presence of security measures and surveillance systems within the metro. Some worry that this could point to larger security issues. One anonymous passenger questioned how someone could carry spray paint on the metro and wondered if someone could also bring explosives. There are worries that if someone can so easily damage a sensitive transportation system like the metro, a larger incident could occur in the future.
In response to this incident, Kolkata Metro Rail is considering several measures to enhance security. These include the installation of additional CCTV cameras and increased vigilance from mobile scanning teams at stations and on trains. The authorities are emphasizing the need for a more proactive and responsive security system, going beyond a reliance on technology to include a greater element of human surveillance.
This is not the first time the Kolkata Metro has faced security-related challenges. In 2018, three Russian nationals were apprehended for attempting to create graffiti art on metro rakes at the Noapara carshed. They were caught with spray paints and other equipment and confessed to wanting to bring a "flavour of the graffiti art" seen in European subways to Kolkata. Also in 2018, a couple was attacked on the metro for "being too close", highlighting concerns about moral policing and security on the metro. Construction work has also been stalled due to violence and robberies.
The recent vandalism incident serves as a stark reminder of the need for constant vigilance and robust security measures in public transportation systems. As the investigation continues, authorities are appealing to the public for any information that could lead to the identification of the individual responsible for defacing the Kolkata Metro.
