Red alert at Hyderabad airport

A plane hijack attempt foiled by Bangladeshi police a few days ago in Chittagong Airport has prompted the Intelligence Bureau (IB) to continue to maintain red-alert at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) along with other major airports till Parliament elections.

Another reason for additional vigilance is a credible intelligence, received by authorities here, that Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) was attempting another suicide terror attack in various parts of the country.

 

“There is a general alert about possible hijacking of a plane in the country. As a precautionary measure, we are continuing the alert,” a senior official said.

The alert was issued last week asking security personnel to enhance security at the airports. The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) has already banned entry of visitors to RGIA and other major airports from March 1. BCAS asked airport officials not to issue entry passes to visitors and the ban will continue till further orders.

On its part, the



Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), which is manning the security of the airport, has fully activated anti-terror mechanism and counter terrorist plan at the airports, said a CISF senior official from New Delhi.

The security at the perimeter wall at RGIA has been tightened restricting movements of persons near the wall. CISF personnel are screening passengers’ baggage through scanners and frisking passengers with hand-held metal and door-frame metal detectors. Instructions have been issued to staff to be extra vigilant while screening passengers at entrances.

Apart from the CISF, the private security personnel at the airport along with Quick Reaction Teams (QRTs) and Cyberabad police are taking care of the security at RGIA. A team of National Security Guards (NSG) has been posted at the airport round-the-clock to tackle any terror related activity.

An advisory was issued to airlines to ask passengers to arrive at the airport early to undergo checking.