Bihar: Suspicious IP camera near railway track triggers security alert​

Patna, May 9 Security agencies in Bihar have been put on high alert after the discovery of a suspicious internet-enabled surveillance device near Sarai Railway Station on the Hajipur-Muzaffarpur rail section, an official said on Saturday.​

The device, an IP (Internet Protocol) camera, was found mounted on a signal tower near Level Crossing Gate No. 43-C Special, raising serious concerns about potential reconnaissance activity.​

According to initial findings, the camera was solar-powered and capable of remote operation via the internet using a 4G SIM card.​

Investigators believe it was strategically placed to monitor both railway tracks and the adjacent roadway, an area often used for regular train movement and possible VIP transit.​

The matter came to light when a gatekeeper reported suspicious activity to the Station Master, Manoj Kumar.​

He had noticed a youth posing as an NGO worker installing the device and leaving shortly after.​

Acting swiftly, railway authorities alerted the Railway Protection Force and the Government Railway Police (GRP), triggering a multi-agency investigation.​

During preliminary analysis, authorities reportedly recovered stored images linked to Yasin Bhatkal, a known terrorist figure.​

Further technical examination of the IP data has raised suspicions of links to a Pakistan-backed terror network, allegedly operating from coastal Karnataka, though officials are treating this as a lead rather than a confirmed conclusion.​

An FIR has been registered, and the case has been escalated to senior railway and security officials, including Rail DIG Amresh Kumar and Rail SP Beena Kumari.​

A joint team comprising the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) and Special Task Force (STF) reached the spot on Friday evening to begin a deeper probe.​

The camera has been seized and sent for forensic analysis by GRP units in Muzaffarpur.​

Early findings suggest the device was highly sophisticated; it could rotate, capture footage in low light, and stream data in real time.​

Around one hour of footage has already been recovered.​

The investigation is being led by local police teams, including officers from Hajipur, under the supervision of officials such as SHO Dharmendra Kumar and Rail DSP Sahkar Khan.​

Authorities are now scanning CCTV footage from nearby areas to identify the suspect, described as a young man with a Haryanvi accent.​

Security agencies suspect multiple possible motives behind the installation of the device, ranging from tracking VIP movement to planning sabotage of railway infrastructure or even facilitating a major terror attack.​

While no definitive conclusion has yet been reached, the incident has exposed potential vulnerabilities in railway security and prompted heightened surveillance in sensitive zones.​

--IANS

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