Hyderabad: No horsing around on the Metro Rail because big brother is watching you. Metro Rail has cameras inside the train checking the activities of passengers.
The camera feed is checked every minute by a surveillance and security team based in Uppal, which is in communication with stations such as Ameerpet, Nagole and Miyapur. From these junctions, the status is communicated to security teams stationed at each Metro rail station.
That is how the scuffle between 55-year-old journalist J.B.S. Umanadh, bureau chief of Deccan Herald, and 33-year-old marketing manager Maruthi Krishna came to light on Wednesday.
Mr Umanadh was sitting in the middle of the bench at the side and the space on either side was vacant. Mr Krishna, got in at Ameerpet with his family and asked Mr Umanadh to shift to one side of the bench, but the latter apparently just stared back. An angry Mr Krishna and his family had to stand, and he started abusing Mr Umanadh.
Mr Umanadh later said he could not understand why he was being asked to move when there were vacant seats on either side.
“I could not understand why he was asking me to shift and that’s why I didn’t move from my seat. There were two vacant seats on either side. I was not aware that he was with his family. But he continued with his tirade which made me angry and I too abused him,” Mr Umanadh said.
This led to a ruckus, with Mr Krishna punching Mr Umanadh in the face, knocking off his glasses. He had a deep cut below his right eye that bled. Other passengers tried to pacify the two.
The fracas was seen by the surveillance team at Uppal who alerted SR Nagar station officials, the next station.
As soon as the train touched SR Nagar station, security guards rushed in and told both passengers to alight as it was not safe for them to continue the journey. They brooked no argument and the two were taken to the SR Nagar police station where a complaint was registered for bad behaviour in public transport.
Both men have been counselled and asked to maintain decorum while travelling by the Metro.
