BMRCL to fine passengers consuming chewable tobacco-based products within metro premises, trains
Bengaluru, Apr 23 (PTI): Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) on Wednesday announced that passengers found consuming chewable tobacco-based products within metro premises and trains will be fined.
For this, the BMRCL will strengthen its patrolling efforts during non-peak hours, it said.
According to the BMRCL, this step has been taken in an effort to address public grievances about passengers using chewable tobacco-based products and to avoid consequent spitting and littering within metro premises and trains.
Since possession of such substances cannot be detected through metal detectors, BMRCL said it has decided to implement random physical pat-down checks at all metro stations.
"While platform security guards will be sensitised to look out for such passengers, the central security surveillance room has already been instructed to monitor passenger behaviour and alert the concerned platform security staff immediately upon noticing any violations. Enhanced surveillance will now be carried out on all trains and metro stations, and guilty passengers will be fined as per BMRCL rules," it said in a statement.
Additionally, BMRCL will launch extensive awareness campaigns to educate passengers on the importance of refraining from using chewable tobacco-based products within metro premises.
"BMRCL requests all commuters' cooperation and to join hands with us in order to ensure a cleaner and more pleasant commuting experience," it added.
#BMRCL to fine passengers consuming chewable tobacco-based products within Metro premises and trains. Check the media release for more details. pic.twitter.com/w9tsYfKLEH
— ನಮ್ಮ ಮೆಟ್ರೋ (@OfficialBMRCL) April 23, 2025
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SC seeks Samay Raina, other social media influencers’ presence in court for 'ridiculing' disabled
New Delhi, May 5 (PTI): The Supreme Court on Monday sought the presence of five social media influencers, including "India's Got Latent" host Samay Raina, on a plea of an NGO which alleged that they ridiculed persons with a rare disorder Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) on their show.
A bench of Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh asked the Mumbai Commissioner of Police to serve notice on the five influencers to ensure their presence in the court, failing which coercive action will be taken.
The bench also sought the assistance of Attorney General R Venkataramani on the PIL of NGO 'Cure SMA Foundation of India' for direction on regulating social media content concerning disabled people and persons with rare disorders.
The bench termed the influencers ridiculing such people as "damaging" and "demoralising" and said some serious remedial and punitive action was needed so that these things don't happen again.
"This is very, very damaging and demoralising. There are statutes which try to bring these people into the mainstream, and with one incident, the entire effort goes. You should think of some remedial and punitive action within the law," the bench told senior advocate Aprajita Singh, appearing for the NGO.
Observing that the fundamental right to freedom of speech and expression is not absolute, the bench said no one can be allowed to demean anybody under the garb of the right and mulled framing guidelines on social media content concerning the disabled and people with rare disorders.
The NGO had referred to the deficiencies in the existing legal framework and urged the bench to formulate guidelines on online content.
