The Rabale MIDC police registered a non-cognisable offence against unidentified persons on Saturday after Sutherland Global Services, a private firm that handles the call centre for Air India, received a call threatening to hijack one of its flights.
Following the incident, the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) has issued instructions to step up security at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA).
According to the Rabale MIDC police, the complaint was registered by Arfat Khan of Sutherland Global Services at Digha. Senior police inspector Nitin Gite, Rabale MIDC police station, said, “As per the complaint, the call was received at 9.45 p.m. on Friday. The caller spoke in English and said that an Air India flight would be hijacked and taken to Pakistan.”
The non-cognisable offence was registered under Sections 505 (statements conducing to public mischief) and 507 (criminal intimidation by an anonymous communication) of the Indian Penal Code.
Sudhakar Pathare, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Zone I, said, “We received the information at 11.30 p.m. on Friday. We then passed on the details to the control rooms of the Navi Mumbai police and the Maharashtra Police. We are investigating the matter further by obtaining technical details.” The Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch) of the Navi Mumbai police said, “It was a VOIP [Voice over Internet Protocol] call. The Cyber Cell will be conducting a parallel investigation to try and trace the caller.”
Meanwhile, the Director General of the BCAS issued instructions to undertake measures to ensure safety at the airport. A CSMIA official said, “The measures include strict access control, intensive checking of vehicles, enhanced screening of passengers and staff members, enhanced screening of all baggage, technical and manual surveillance of the airport, and patrolling and manning of cargo and vehicle entry gates with armed protection. Any extra measures deemed necessary on the basis of local intelligence have also been authorised to be implemented.”
