Lucknow Metro Replaces Security Guard Who Stopped Burqa-clad Women from Boarding Train

Lucknow: Days after a few security officials stopped six Burqa-clad women from boarding a train at a metro station, the Lucknow Metro Rail Corporation has ordered for replacement of one of the guards who was primarily responsible for the incident and has also directed the security agency to sensitize others employed at other stations.

The LMRC’s action comes after an investigation found the security guards guilty of the incident. The male security guards deployed at Mawaiyya metro station had allegedly misbehaved with the women and insisted that they take off their Burqa.

The incident came to light after Maaz Mohammad, a resident of Alambagh, was about to board a train along with his relatives on Monday 7 when the women were prevented from travelling because of wearing Burqa. So far, this is the first of its kind incident reported from a metro station since the LMRC started its operations in 2017.

As per the complaint addressed to the managing director of LMRC, Maaz Mohammad wrote, “I want to bring to your notice that I wanted to travel on Lucknow Metro from Mavaiyya Metro Station to Alambagh Metro Station along with six of my female relatives and for that I purchased six tickets. As I walked towards the check-in spot, the male guards stopped the female passengers accompanying me and insisted my female relatives to take off their Burqa in front of them. All the female passengers accompanying me were ready to take off their Burqa in the female cabin meant for security checks but the male guards started misbehaving with us.”

“After which I went to return all the six tickets that I had purchased. I want to know if the metal detectors installed at all the Metro stations are insufficient for security check? The incident took place on the evening of 27th May at 19:45 hours. Kindly take appropriate actions,” the complainant wrote in his letter to MD of LMRC.

Reacting to the incident, CSC, LMRC UC Srivastava had said, “The incident has come to our knowledge and we have ordered enquiry into the issue. If someone is found guilty then they will be punished.”