The Delhi Metro had suffered a huge embarrassment on April 9 when one of their LED screens at Rajiv Chowk station had started playing a pornographic clip reportedly for at least 10 minutes. The incident soon received nationwide attention and also became the butt of various jokes.
A week later, on 17th April, it was reported that the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) had started probing the incident. The initial findings had suggested that the DMRC was questioning staff members, including those of the contractual company that was tasked to run the LED screens. Interestingly the probe authorities had also indicated that commuters could also have had a possible involvement in this case.
Now the DMRC has submitted the probe report to the Delhi police has reported put the blame for the incident on mischievous commuters.
Reportedly, three young men have been identified as culprits based on CCTV footage near the site. The probe also points towards a dramatic series of events where the youths were allegedly doubling up their phones as remotes to control the led screen and then played the porn clip via Wi-Fi on the TV.
The probe report also claims that the TV screen was newly commissioned and did not yet have security features enabled, which had rendered its Wi-Fi port open. The police who have been given all the CCTV footage of the are now trying to track the movements of the young men and ascertain their identities.
Assuming the Delhi Metro’s version is correct, it still doesn’t negate the fact that insiders or staff members too might have also been responsible for the whole fiasco. Even though the said process used by the youths is certainly possible, it needs a smart TV with an open Wi-Fi port which is accessible to all. Plus the whole process of turning the mobile into a remote, operating it in front of all people, plus connecting it over an open Wi-Fi or Wi-Fi direct connection is a remarkably cumbersome and does point to serious security lapses.
Even though in this case the video was used to play a porn clip, in the future such a flaw may also be misused for some dangerous business like spreading rumours or disseminating wrong passenger info, which might spread panic in one of the most crowded metro stations of Delhi.
