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Andheri Station gatecrashed, again

Harmeet Jasbir Singh, a Ranji cricketer for Jammu and Kashmir, on Monday drove his car within sniffing distance of a local train on Platform Number 1 of Andheri station

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(inset) Harpeet Singh; Open access to the station from the road could spell danger
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The Western Railway (WR) has been left red-faced for the second time since November 2016, when Harmeet Jasbir Singh, a Ranji cricketer for Jammu and Kashmir, on Monday drove his car within sniffing distance of a local train on Platform Number 1 of Andheri station.

The incident happened at around 7.10 am on Monday and preliminary reports suggest that the 25-year-old Malad resident was not drunk at the time of the incident.

Manish Rathod, Senior Inspector, Railway Protection Force, Andheri said, "The report states he was not drunk. He (Singh) might have lost his way or was disoriented. We have arrested him under various sections of Railway Act, including section 154, which comes with a maximum sentence of three years."

However, what has got security agencies worried is that it is the second such incident since November 2016, and the area from which both cars entered — on the western fringe of the station by a busy road — is not under CCTV surveillance. The earlier incident occurred on November 25, when Rajesh Yadav, a driver with a private firm, drove his car onto the platform.

"This is worrying because everything that can be done unintentionally and harmlessly can also be replicated intentionally and harmfully. If railway authorities do not take action, it could lead to a disaster" said an officer.

When contacted, Mukul Jain, Divisional Railway Manager, WR, said a comprehensive integrated security plan for several major WR stations worth Rs 24 crore is on the anvil after being passed by the Railway Ministry in 2017.

"Dadar, Andheri, Mumbai Central, Bandra Terminus and Borivli will soon get an integrated security system syncing CCTV cameras and bag scanners," said Jain.

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