Hyderabad: The Central Industrial Security Force is maintaining its intensive profiling of passengers in the wake of the serial terror attacks in Sri Lanka. Airports have been on a heightened red alert and the status has not been relaxed, said an official.
Passengers are being asked to take off their belts and metallic items and are being subject to intense frisking and baggage screening. The CISF has increased random checks in coordination with other stakeholders which include the local police.
The CISF’s Quick Reaction Teams and perimeter guards have been put on high alert. Teams have been deployed to watch the behaviour of passengers, their movements, facial expressions and to decide to take them aside for further checks, added the official.
CISF Inspector General, Southern-West Command C.V. Anand said, “Airports have been on red alert ever since the Pulwama attack. Staff at airports is profiling people to observe the behaviour of passengers. CISF officials have been given reorientation and redeployment from other duties to watch duties, however, no extra staff has been pressed in. Passengers are requested to cooperate with extra checking, belt and shoe removal. It is for your own safety.”
Asked if any passenger has been been detained on suspicion, the officer replied, “No suspicious movement has been noticed.”
The CISF along with 23 government stakeholders which include the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, Airport Authority of India, Bureau of Civil Aviation and Customs have tightened manual frisking of travellers. This apart private airline operators have also been asked to carry out a separate round of checks.
Of the 100 operational airports nationwide, 60 are under the CISF security cover. Delhi airport witnesses the highest air traffic followed by Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru, Kolkata and the Shamshabad airport in Hyderabad.
