21-Year-Old Disrupts Namma Metro Purple Line By Pressing Emergency Button For Fun, Fined ₹5000

A 21-year-old man in Bengaluru caused a 10-minute disruption on the Purple Line of the metro by pressing the Emergency Trip System (ETS) without any valid reason, The Times of India reported. The Namma Metro staff identified the individual and fined him ₹5000.

According to the report, Hemant Kumar, a resident of Vivek Nagar, activated the ETS at MG Road station, stopping a train arriving from Trinity station. The train was halted for 10 minutes, affecting services on the entire Purple Line. After the train resumed, Hemant boarded and disembarked at Cubbon Park station.

Metro staff identified Hemant through CCTV footage and confronted him at Cubbon Park station, where he admitted to pressing the ETS "for fun." A Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) official stated, "The rule mandates a ₹5000 fine for misusing the ETS. When asked to pay, he said he didn't have money, so his parents were informed. They came to the station, paid the fine, and took their son home."

The ETS in the metro is intended for emergencies, such as when someone accidentally falls onto the tracks. Activating it cuts power to the tracks, stopping train movement.

In a similar incident, a 19-year-old law student jumped onto the tracks at Attiguppe station. Such occurrences have become frequent, prompting calls for the installation of protective screens across all platforms to enhance passenger safety.