Parliament Security Breach On 2001 Attack Anniversary: Two Visitors Jump Into Lok Sabha, Spray Gas

A security breach occurred in the Lok Sabha on the anniversary of 2001 Parliament attack as two visitors jumped into the chamber from the gallery and sprayed coloured gas when the proceedings were on.

In the visuals from Sansad TV played by television channels, one visitor was seen leaping over benches and causing commotion in the house.

As the Zero Hour was on, the man from the visitors gallery entered the hall and jumped over benches and ran towards the speaker, Congress MP Karti Chidambaram told NDTV Profit later. While he was overpowered by the members and security, he suddenly he got something out of his pocket and the Lok Sabha was filled with a yellow smoke, Karti said.

The other person also "put out cannisters from his pockets and the house was filled in smoke", Karti said.

Both the intruders were detained. Separately, two persons, including a woman, were detained outside the Parliament for using cans that released colour smoke, PTI reported. BJP member Rajendra Agrawal, who was in the chair, adjourned the proceedings for some time.

The Wednesday's intrusion is "certainly a security breach because today we observed the death anniversary of people who sacrificed their lives in the 2001 (Parliament attack)," Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said, according to PTI.

Terrorists of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed outfits had attacked the Parliament complex on Dec. 13, 2001, killing nine people. All five terrorists were gunned down by the security forces.

Karti told NDTV Profit that he was surprised how two people could breach the security and enter the house. "Even while entering the visitors gallery, you have to go through security checks and have special cards. I'm shocked to know how they got away by bringing such lethal objects to the house." None of the members were injured, but most of them inhaled the fumes, he said.

(With inputs from PTI)