Patna: Railway security has been tightened following the discovery of an unauthorised CCTV camera at gate number 43 of Sarai railway station in the Sonepur railway division of Vaishali district. The suspicious installation, allegedly carried out by unidentified individuals, has triggered a major investigation by the Railway Protection Force (RPF) amid concerns over possible terrorist connections.
Incident Details
Around 2 pm on May 7, gateman Santosh Kumar, who was on duty at level crossing 43, noticed two unidentified men installing a CCTV camera on the western height gauge pole. The duo fled immediately after placing the device. Santosh promptly informed station superintendent Manoj Kumar Singh, who alerted Railway IG (ECR) Amresh Kumar and Muzaffarpur Rail SP Beena Kumari.
During inspection, officials found a small camera fitted with a solar panel mounted nearly 10 feet high on the western pole of the gate. Verification by RPF sub-inspector Bipin Kumar confirmed the device was not part of any authorised railway surveillance network and had been installed illegally without permission.
Possible Terror Link
Manoj told TOI on Saturday that the gateman acted swiftly, following which RPF personnel reached the spot and removed the camera within 10 minutes. “During inspection of the seized camera, its internal footage reportedly showed the image of a terrorist, Yaseen Bhat, the main accused in the Akshardham Temple attack. This discovery prompted authorities to explore a possible international angle, including unconfirmed links to terrorists,” he said.
“An FIR has been registered at Government Railway Police, Muzaffarpur, on Friday. The Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has been informed amid suspicions of a possible international connection and terrorist link,” Manoj added.
Suspects on Motorcycle
He added that CCTV footage from nearby areas showed two suspects arriving on a motorcycle. “The person riding in front was wearing a helmet, while the pillion rider had his face covered. The registration number of the motorcycle could not be captured. The visuals from nearby cameras were not entirely clear, limiting immediate identification,” he said.
Seized Equipment
The seized equipment included a solar-powered camera with stand, Active Pixel ID and IMEI details, a SIM card, a 32GB microSD card, and a small solar plate measuring around 10x6 inches.
Beena said a formal investigation had been launched based on a complaint. “Efforts are underway to identify the suspects and ascertain the purpose behind installing the camera at the railway crossing,” she said.
