Hijack threat forces high alert at Indian airports

The Centre on Friday ordered further strengthening of security at all airports and deployed sky marshals on certain flights after intelligence inputs warned that there was a possibility of terror groups hijacking a flight operating from a South Asian country. After receiving inputs from security agencies as well as the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Civil Aviation Ministry sounded red alert and directed the stepping up of security arrangements at all concerned airports and airlines.

“Following the Ministry’s directives, the level of security to counter threat perception has been upgraded and all necessary measures have been undertaken by the agencies in-charge of Civil Aviation security, including strengthening of anti-hijacking measures,” official spokesperson of the Civil Aviation Ministry said in New Delhi.

As part of stepped-up security measures at airports, the spokesperson added, there will also be deployment of sky marshals on certain flights; introduction of stepladder frisking as an additional precaution and all other necessary steps with regard to the safety and security of passengers.

“As per practice, Intelligence agencies inform the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) on various intelligence inputs from time to time. Based on such inputs from BCAS, the airline’s security department, headed by a senior IPS officer, coordinates with various governmental agencies, including BCAS, Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) to take requisite security measures,” the spokesperson said.

State-run Air India also confirmed that it has already initiated action at concerned airports to beef up security for countering any possible threat. The Air India spokesman said the carrier would like to assure passengers booked on flights operated by it that they need not have any apprehension with regard to security as adequate measures have been taken in consultation with concerned Central and State level security agencies. Air India’s security standards are incidentally regarded as amongst the finest in the industry, the spokesman pointed out.

Airports have been in a state of maximum alert over the past one month when the festival season had set in, further security measures, including deployment of sky marshals on certain sectors and anti-hijacking alert, had been sounded this time around.

Official sources in the Home Ministry said that intelligence agencies have received “credible indications” that terror groups might hijack a flight operating from any of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) nations to India. As Air India is the national flag carrier, the threat perception to it is always higher. Central para-military forces have also been ordered to be deployed at strategic points at sensitive airports as well as around vital installations.

The latest anti-hijacking alert comes just three days prior to Republic Day celebrations across the country, particularly in the Capital where VVIPs and foreign dignitaries also witness the military parade to mark the occasion.

Meanwhile, reports that Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba has acquired more than 50 para-gliding equipment from Europe, have off alarm bells in the government that these could be used to carry out air-borne suicide attacks in the country.

The intelligence input prompted authorities to ensure a tight air security around all vital installations, official sources said in New Delhi on Friday. The input about movement of overground workers, owing allegiance to LeT, in Europe led the sleuths to find out that they were on a shopping spree for para-gliding equipment, the sources said. Security agencies have carried out mock drills in different areas in the country as part of the exercise to prevent any air-borne suicide attack by LeT terrorists.

The input bears significance in view of the fact that government has already put all Air India planes operating in the country's neighbourhood on high security alert following intelligence reports from Western agencies that the LeT and other terror groups were planning to hijack a flight.

Radars located at strategic locations have been tuned to intercept all low flying objects and authorities are not taking any chances. A no-flying zone is already in place in capital's Luytens zone which houses the Rashtrapati Bhavan, Prime Minister's Office and key ministries like home, defence, finance, external affairs, among others. Elaborate air defence measures, including deployment of anti-aircraft guns, have also been taken to check possible intrusion of air space. Besides, helicopters of the Indian Air Force will hover over the areas around Rajpath and all along the route of the Republic Day parade on January 26.

- Asian Tribune -