Chennai: The Chennai airport has been put on a ‘red alert’ following an anonymous call warning explosions on aircraft bound from Chennai and other metro cities.
Not taking any chances, an elaborate seven-tier security has been laid out with the CISF (Central Industrial Security Force), State police and various Intelligence agencies on round-the-clock duty.
An official source said, entry of visitors have been put on hold for the next few days, and each and every passenger is put through a number of clearance checks. Passengers undergo clearance checks by CISF personnel at the entrance and followed by respective airline staff.
At the security hold area, the CISF would again do a check. The hand luggages will be checked as well. ‘From a hairpin to a gold ornament, everything will be under scrutiny’, the official said.
The 84 point list of items not to be carried on the flight is being strictly followed. Along with the CISF and State police; the IB (Intelligence Bureau), RAW (Research and Analysis Wing) SB-CID, CB-CID, State police Intelligence, CISF Intelligence and Q-Branch are on their toes and monitoring any suspicious movement.
The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security Force (CASF) has also stepped up security measures of employees at the airport. The employees including staff of the airport, airline crew including pilots, stewards, housekeeping staff, cargo workers will only be be allowed with valid passes and identity cards.
Bomb squads of both CISF and State police have been deployed at the spot. According to police sources, following the Brussels terror attack at the airport and at the metro station, the security concerns of Chennai airport heightened after a private flight booking agency in Thoraipakkam received an anonymous call stating that 15 flights bound from Chennai will report bomb explosions.
The caller specified two dates on which metro cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkatta and Chennai will have bomb explosion on the flight. The information was passed on to the local station and to the Intelligence agencies. An Indigo flight from Chennai to Mumbai was grounded following the threat.
