Constable suspended for security breach

BHUBANESWAR: Police on Sunday suspended a constable in connection with Saturday's security breach at the secretariat.
"Prima facie, we found that sepoy Bijay Kumar Behera allowed Susant Nayak to enter the secretariat through gate no-2 though he did not have an entry pass. The CCTV footage corroborated the dereliction of duty," said commissioner of police R P Sharma.
Nayak created flutter by brandishing a knife before the personal secretary of special secretary, housing and urban development department, when she allegedly denied him permission to meet the senior authorities.
"Nayak developed an acquaintance with Behera as the former visited the secretariat often with a valid pass. Nayak did not have a pass on Saturday, but managed to convince Behera to let him go inside," Sharma said.
Police have also drawn up a plan to augment the existing security of the vital installation.
"A foolproof security plan for secretariat has been sent to the home department for approval," the commissioner of police said.
At present, around 150 armed police personnel man the seat of the state administration.
"Temporary pass holders would be allowed to enter the secretariat only through gate no-4. Visitors at other four gates would be properly frisked," Sharma said.
"Only gate no-4 has a door frame metal detector (DFMD). The personnel will soon be provided hand-held metal detectors for thorough checking," he said.
This not the first instance of security breach at the secretariat. On January 13, 2012, the chief secretary's office received a parcel with detonator, leaving the cops at their wits' end.
Though plans were made to enhance security at the secretariat, all attempts fell by the wayside.
The home department had asked police to improve security by installing DFMDs and baggage scanners at all gates and dispose of an old X-Ray machine.
The machine is not functioning properly, leading to easy entry of unexamined baggage inside the building, housing offices of chief minister, chief secretary, senior bureaucrats and ministers, official sources said.
"Outsiders sneak into secretariat through the exit gate. This needs to be checked," said a secretariat staffer.