New Delhi: The urge to make reels and circulate them even when on security duty during a high-profile event has landed a Delhi Police constable in trouble.
He has been suspended and is facing a departmental inquiry after at least two social media reels surfaced showing him flaunting firearms, including a sniper rifle, while deployed for security duty during the recent 18th BRICS Summit, as reported by India Today.
The constable, identified as Deepak, was apparently part of a team assigned for overwatch duties on the terrace of a high-rise overlooking a spot considered sensitive during the high-profile event.
An overwatch team comprises spotters and snipers deployed at a vantage point to protect VVIPs during such events.
Deepak made videos of himself, his colleagues, their equipment and the surroundings and released them on social media. The reels went viral, but instead of being impressed, social media users were appalled at what many felt was a security breach.
In one of the videos, he is seen taking aim with a sniper rifle. The reel also showed the nearby buildings as visible from the terrace. In another video, apparently shot at the same location during the day, Deepak is seen posing for the camera, with his handgun prominently visible in a holster at his waist.
He appeared in plain clothes in that video and had clearly hitched up his shirt to reveal the weapon.
A third video shows other security personnel deployed at the site as the camera pans to show the view from the terrace. Another security personnel can be seen looking through a binocular in that video.
Some social media users identified the location from the videos and called for immediate action against the maker.
“He is revealing the location, the identities of the team and the equipment they use. This is a security breach. Suspend him immediately,” one user posted.
The BRICS Summit was hosted by India at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi from September 12–13. The summit was attended by several world leaders, including Russian president Vladimir Putin, Chinese premier Xi Jinping, and Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian.