New Delhi: Security was tightened at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport following an intelligence alert that terrorists may target Air India flights going to Afghanistan, officials said.
All anti-hijacking measures have been put in place, they said, adding that passengers’ checking has also been beefed up at some of the major airports, including Indira Gandhi International Airport in the national capital.
An alert was sounded after security agencies warned of a possible hijack attempt on flights running between Delhi and Kabul. The warning also mentions Air India airline, according to news report.
The security agencies have also reportedly alerted airlines operating on the route that the flights can be the target of the militants.
Instructions have been given to ensure proper security check of passengers, staff and cabin baggage once the boarding is complete. The warning comes a day after a call threatening to blow up Air India office in Kolkata was made on Saturday.
The security at the Kolkata airport was increased after the threat call and air marshals were reportedly deployed. Police is probing the incident and trying to ascertain whether it was a hoax call.
“Security has been extended and policemen have been increased,” Deputy Commissioner of police (IGI) MI Haider said. CISF spokesperson Hemendra Singh said security has been tight since the
On December 24, 1999, Indian Airlines flight IC-184 from Kathmandu to New Delhi with 174 passengers and an 11-member crew on board was hikacked and taken to Kandahar in the then Taliban controlled Afghanistan.
The hijackers belonging to Pakistani terror group #Harkat-ul-Mujahideen forced India to release dreaded terrorists #Maulana Masood Azhar, #Mushtaq Ahmed Zargar and Ahmed Omar #Saeed Shaikh before they released the passengers and crew. One passenger 28-year-old Rupin Katyal was stabbed to death by the hijackers.
Bureau Report
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