Following incidents of serious security breach at Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) facilities here in the last two years, the Ministry of Home Affairs recently augmented the strength of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) unit guarding these installations. The unit has also been modernised.
The CISF unit at ISRO earlier had a strength of 335 personnel. After an additional 200 personnel were deployed, the total strength is now 535.
Senior officials said the September 2012 incident where a woman, Buela M. Sam, using a fake ID card, breached layers of security and stayed at an ISRO guest house here, raised fears about loopholes in security.
This was followed by an anonymous letter threatening violence, which was dropped off at an ISRO installation in Peenya in June 2013. The letter, which was later found to be a hoax, added to the urgency of increasing security measures at ISRO facilities here.
Sources said the Ministry of Home Affairs conducted a security audit of all ISRO installations here last year. A senior official with the CISF said there were more than five important ISRO facilities in the city and the paucity of human resources was brought to the notice of higher authorities during the audit.
M.K. Tamil Selvan, Deputy Commandant, CISF unit, ISRO, told The Hindu that of the new personnel, 132 had reported a couple of weeks ago and the remaining would report for duty soon.
Mr. Selvan said that with the additional personnel, Quick Response Teams (QRT) comprising trained commandos had been formed at all ISRO installations in the city and this would go a long way in handling any eventuality. He further added that additional check-points were being put up, and perimeter security had been increased.
He said the unit had also been modernised. It was recently equipped with night vision binoculars, bomb suppression blankets and bulletproof morchas. The number of CCTV cameras on the premises had been considerably increased and a round-the-clock dedicated monitoring system had been set up. CISF had also set up electronic fencing around all ISRO establishments in the city.
