Post on X claims labourer denied entry into Bengaluru metro over attire

Bengaluru: A post on X (formerly Twitter) about a man allegedly denied entry onto a Bengaluru metro train due to his attire has gone viral, igniting discussions about the operational practices of the Namma Metro security staff.

On Sunday, @TotagiR posted a GIF featuring a man in a black shirt and beige trousers, standing with crossed arms and gazing into the distance.

The post, captured at the Doddakallasandra metro station, tagged the official X handles of MP Tejasvi Surya and the Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation (BMRCL).

The account owner expressed dismay, stating, “One more incident of cloth/attire related incident happened in front of me just now. A labourer was stopped & told to stitch up his top two buttons... When did Namma metro become like this!!? (sic)”

BMRCL officials have refuted claims that the incident at the Doddakallasandra metro station was related to clothing.

In a statement released on Wednesday, they clarified that the incident, which took place around 7.34 pm, was attributed to the individual’s alleged odour of alcohol. They said the security guard acted in convenience of the other commuters.

After confirmation of the odour, the security guard engaged with the person to assess his condition to travel without disturbing other passengers.

“The individual admitted to drinking earlier in the day,” read the statement.

The statement further noted that the guard allowed the person to travel after evaluating his condition and confirming that he would not disturb or pose a threat to other passengers.

A BMRCL official said metro authorities are open to hear the man’s version. "Let him or the person who posted this on X come forward and tell their side of the story because we have the CCTV footage, but no audio of the conversation between the man and the security guard. Therefore, we are going by what the guard told us during the inquiry," he said.

Incident in February

In February, metro authorities denied a farmer entry into a station for his “untidy” attire, prompting the National Human Rights Commission to seek a report from both the state government and BMRCL.