Security has been ramped up at the Tiruchi International Airport consequent to an anonymous call received on Wednesday that Chennai, Tiruchi, Coimbatore, and Madurai airports would be blasted by ‘human bombs.’
The telephone call was made to the office of the Chennai Airport Director on Wednesday.
The in Chennai and they would target Chennai, Tiruchi, Coimbatore, and Madurai airports.
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An alert was immediately sounded to the Tiruchi airport authorities who convened a special security meeting at the airport. Personnel of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), city police, immigration, various airlines and other agencies participated in the meeting presided over by the Officiating Airport Director K.Jebaraj, airport sources told
The threat message was conveyed to the officials and contingency response measures to be taken by each agency were outlined at the meeting.
Airlines officials were asked to alert their staff and thoroughly scan the checked-in baggage of passengers.
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Airlines were also asked to look for any suspected baggage before they were loaded to aircraft.
The ground engineering staff of the airlines was asked to carry out anti-sabotage checks. The need to frisk passengers at ladder point before they boarded aircraft was also put forth at the meeting. Surveillance and security measures have been enhanced.
The city police have deployed teams at the inner and outer gates, and car parking area, to maintain vigil. A Bomb Detection and Disposal team of the city police has been posted at the airport to carry out anti-sabotage checks and augment security, the sources said.
The CISF, which is guarding the international airport, later conducted an emergency drill on protecting vital installations at the airport.