Delhi assembly car breach exposes major security lapses; high-level probe ordered, CRPF role under scrutiny

NEW DELHI: The security breach by car number UP26AZ8090, driven by Sarabjit Singh (37), has exposed serious lacunae in the security apparatus of Delhi assembly, a high-security zone guarded by CRPF. What has puzzled experts is not just that it was successful, but also the clean exit by a ‘non-professional’ man that caught the security napping.

Protocol in such cases demanded flagging, warning and opening fire, said officials who have served in the security unit. When asked, the men said they didn’t open fire fearing collateral damage as several people were present in the vicinity. However, senior officials have dismissed these claims as “frivolous”.




A high-level inquiry has been initiated to probe lapses by both CRPF and Delhi Police personnel and heads are likely to roll, according to sources. The CRPF brass, led by an ADG-level officer, Intelligence Bureau officials and city top cops, including the Delhi Police chief, met on Monday evening for a review and plan of action. The security of assembly speaker Vijender Gupta is being reviewed, and he is likely to be accorded Z category, sources said.

Explaining the security setup, sources said there are six gates in the assembly, of which four are permanently shut. The two gates used for entry/exit had heavy deployment, besides frisking equipment. About 30-40 personnel from CRPF and Delhi Police each were deployed at these spots.

Singh used neither the entry nor the exit gates, but instead barged his way in from one of the closed gates from the Mall Road side. It is being verified if CRPF was supposed to guard it. Cops are looking into Singh’s antecedents, and a CDR and IPDR analysis is being conducted on his number/s and social media accounts.

The police brass is alarmed as the assembly has been on the radar of terrorists, with intelligence inputs often flagging such plots. The Red Fort suicide bomber, Umar-un-Nabi, also had an explosives-laden car close to the assembly. “The bomb hoaxes in the past few days should have entailed proper security checks and flagged gaps, if any,” said a retired senior cop.