Security Breach: Two People Jump Into Lok Sabha From Gallery (Image: X @SaketGokhale)

The Parliament witnessed a major security breach on Wednesday, December 13, as two men jumped from the visitors” gallery and ran into the Lok Sabha chamber. Both intruders were carrying smoke canisters emitting an unidentified yellow smoke. Notably, this security breach coincided with the 22nd anniversary of the terrorist attack on Parliament.

The shocking incident happened while proceedings were underway in Lok Sabha for the Winter Session. BJP MP Rajendra Agrawal was in the Chair during this incident. Both the intruders were overpowered by the watch and ward staff and Lok Sabha MPs. The proceedings were quickly suspended. Reports suggest that soon after the incident, the MPs rushed out of the House.

When Lok Sabha resumed at 2 p.m., Speaker Om Birla told the house that the secretariat and Delhi Police were cooperating to investigate the matter. Speaker Om Birla also added that the initial investigation revealed that the emitted gas was not harmful and was only meant to cause commotion, reported The Hindu. At the same time, two more individuals, a man and a woman, were detained outside the Parliament by the Delhi Police for protesting with yellow gas. The Indian Express reported that the two protestors, detained outside Parliament, have been identified as Neelam (42) and Anmol (25).

This incident occurred on the anniversary of the 2001 attack on Parliament. On December 13, 2001, terrorists of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed outfits attacked the Parliament. Nine people, including eight security personnel, died in this attack. Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to those who lost their lives in the 2001 terror attack. Apart from PM Modi, Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, and Mallikarjun Kharge also paid floral tributes to the fallen soldiers.