Maharashtra on High Alert Following Ghaziabad Espionage Incident, Plans to Remove Made in China CCTV Cameras

Mumbai, April 2: In response to the recent ISI espionage module uncovered in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, the Maharashtra government has heightened its security measures. Authorities are preparing to remove ‘Made in China’ CCTV cameras from the state. A high-level meeting revealed attempts to breach security at five highly sensitive locations in Maharashtra.

Officials reported that security agencies promptly identified these sites and took steps to ‘sanitize’ them. However, this incident has caused significant alarm within the administrative sector. In light of this serious lapse, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has ordered a comprehensive review of all CCTV cameras installed across the state.

The government has indicated a complete ban on CCTV systems linked to Chinese companies. Officials have been instructed to conduct thorough inspections of cameras in sensitive areas. Any security threats identified will lead to the immediate removal of Chinese equipment, replaced by secure and reliable systems.

Investigations revealed that the espionage module operated under the guise of daily wage laborers. Concerns have also been raised about the module members conducting reconnaissance at critical locations in Mumbai, including naval bases and airports. The group was reportedly using solar-powered and SIM card-operated standalone cameras to send live video feeds and GPS locations to handlers based in Pakistan.

To combat this threat, the state’s Home Department is formulating a new CCTV policy. According to the proposed policy, any government agency, such as BMC or MMRDA, must obtain a mandatory No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the police before installing CCTV systems. This measure aims to ensure that the hardware in use is completely secure.

Under the new policy, housing societies may be required to share live feeds from their external cameras with the police. This initiative seeks to strengthen the state’s surveillance system and preemptively thwart any attempts at foreign espionage or data leaks in the future.

–
S.A.K./V.C.