How did the Parliament security breach unfold

New Delhi: Just hours after lawmakers paid homage to the security staff who died in the December 13 Parliament terror attack in 2001, two men jumped into the Lok Sabha chamber from the visitor’s gallery, releasing canisters of yellow-coloured smoke, causing another major breach and plunging the lower house into chaos.

Moments later, two more individuals released a similar canister of yellow smoke at the Sansad Chowk, outside an entrance of the complex.

One of the intruders in the Lok Sabha has been identified as Sagar Sharma (25), a resident of Lucknow, who entered the gallery on a visitor’s pass signed by BJP MP from Mysuru Pratap Simha. The other intruder has been identified as Manoranjan D (35) and hails from Mysuru. Delhi Police Commissioner Sanjay Arora, who reached the Parliament minutes later, said that both intruders have been detained. The motive behind the intrusion is not yet known.

Inside the Lok Sabha, the incident took place around 1 pm when Trinamool Congress MP Khagen Murmu was speaking during the Zero Hour, which was coming to an end. Meerut MP Rajendra Agarwal was in the chair presiding over the house.

Suddenly, from the visitor’s gallery, Sagar jumped on to the floor of the Lok Sabha of the newly-inaugurated building, near the treasury benches where BJP MPs as well as some NDA and former NDA allies were seated. He then proceeded to move towards the Speaker’s chair, and removed his shoes, took out a canister and released yellow smoke across the floor. Agarwal hurriedly adjourned the House till 2 pm.

Sagar was then caught by some of the MPs including RSP’s Hanuman Beniwal, Bahujan Samaj Party MPs Malook Nagar and Danish Ali, who captured a picture of his visitor’s pass as well as his Aadhaar Card.

Manoranjan, meanwhile, went around jumping on the benches of the House. Shiv Sena MP Arvind Sawant said that Manoranjan, too, proceeded to open his shoes, took out the canister and released the yellow smoke. “He then ran towards the Well of the House, and while jumping then crashed against a lady officer, who was later in a lot of shock,” Nagar said. He was also overpowered by MPs and marshals of the House. Both intruders were then taken away by Parliament security.

Even as the MPs were trying to catch the men, plumes of smoke emanated from the coloured gas canisters across the House, leading to utter chaos with several MPs leaving the House. Some MPs proceeded towards the men, and roughed them up.

Over 100 lawmakers including Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, parliamentary affairs minister Pralhad Joshi, law minister Arjun Ram Meghwal and Opposition leaders including Rahul Gandhi and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury were in the house when this incident unfolded, while the prime minister was away to attend the swearing-in ceremony of new governments in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.

Even as the chaos ensued inside the House, two more individuals, who have been identified as Neelam (42) from Haryana’s Hisar and Amol Shinde (25) from Maharashtra’s Latur took similar cans outside the House and released the yellow gas. They were soon arrested.

The House resumed its proceedings at 2 pm and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said that a security review of Parliament House will be carried out. “Honourable members, the incident that occurred during zero hour is being investigated by the Lok Sabha, and in this context, necessary directions have also been given to Delhi Police. As far as our concerns about the nature of the smoke are concerned, in our preliminary probe, it has come to our notice that the smoke was harmless and not a cause for concern... I will inform the House of the final findings,” Birla said.

An all party meeting of the Lok Sabha MPs was carried out soon after. In response to Opposition leaders asking if the incident was linked to threats issued by Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun who swore to attack Parliament on or before December 13, Birla said that the preliminary inquiry did not indicate any such link.

Soon after the incident, the Lok Sabha secretariat suspended the issuance of passes for the visitors’ gallery in the Parliament House. Sources said that the Lok Sabha Secretary General, in a letter to the home ministry, sought a review of the security measures at the Parliament building.

Several investigative and security agencies, including Delhi Police Commissioner Sanjay Arora, a forensics team, Intelligence Bureau officials, an NSA team, etc were among those that rushed to the Parliament House.

Congress MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla, who caught hold of one of the canister, and threw it outside the House said: “There was some commotion and when we looked up, two men were jumping across the seats; one was going towards the speaker screaming something, and the other had a canister which was throwing out a lot of smoke. I caught hold of it, and I threw it outside … It is a matter of our security.” Several MPs said that the men were shouting “tanashahi nahi chalegi (dictatorship won’t be allowed) as they carried out the breach.

BJP’s Agrawal, who was presiding over the proceedings during the breach, said that the security loophole must be investigated.

TMC’s Dola Sen said that after Mahua Moitra was expelled from the House for a security breach for sharing her login ID, Wednesday’s incident raises questions. “BJP MP Pratap Simha has issued the entry pass for the men who carried out the breach … is that not a security breach,” she asked.

BJP MP from Haveri-Gadag said that the noxious gases made him nauseous. Congress’s Kaliabor MP Gaurav Gogoi said that after the “traumatic incident”, there was no communication from any one from the government.

“The first thought was if this gas was poisonous. For over 20 minutes, there was no security in the absolute chaos and melee. Untrained Parliament ushers were taking on the attackers, but where were the 200 commandos who are supposed to keep the complex safe. There was no rapid response onsite and no health protocol followed, no emergency evacuation; we saw complete breakdown of security machinery. Till now MPs are not being asked if they are alright – if they have a side effect, an asthma attack etc,” Gogoi said.