Intrusion into IGI: CISF suspends 2 men,debates breach with Air India

The CISF,responsible for access-control with anti-hijack and anti-sabotage roles at the airport,on Monday maintained that Chauhan got into the apron area of the airport after jumping from a neem tree in the operational area.

But the Air India security staff,who apprehended Chauhan and interrogated him first,said he had reached the aircraft after getting on a catering truck that entered the airport from the ‘steel gate’ next to domestic cargo.

The airlines has also conducted an internal inquiry into the incident.

In a second case the same day,one Fazir Mohammed,65,was detained after he entered Runway 29 around 10 pm (see box).

According to the Air India inquiry report,a flight engineer of the scheduled flight to Nagpur detected a person hiding inside the aircraft’s rear engine.

Officials said the flight was all set for a take-off: boarding had already been announced,catering items had been loaded on the aircraft,baggage trolleys had been positioned for loading,and cargo loading was already in progress at the time.

The intruder,who works in the Capital,was found in an inebriated condition,officials said. He was taken for questioning by Air India security personnel and the CISF.

“The intruder hid himself inside the rear engine of the aircraft — VT-SCO,” a source in the airport close to the development,said. “The aircraft had to be grounded for seven hours for anti-sabotage and air-worthiness checks.”

Officials said Chauhan confessed that he entered the airport on a catering truck.

But CISF officials said Chauhan accepted during further interrogation by the paramilitary force that he had crossed over to the technical area after jumping from a tree. Officials added that Chauhan underwent cross-questioning for three hours.

CISF spokesperson Rohit Katiyar told Newsline: “Chauhan managed to jump into the technical area from a tree and breached the funnel area. That is where he was caught by the Air India security staff and CISF. Two assistant sub-inspectors,who were on duty that time,have been suspended.”

A senior CISF official said Chauhan mentioned some “prominent landmarks” that made it clear he had jumped into the premises off a tree,and not entered on a catering truck.

The Delhi Police has registered a case of criminal trespass — an officer said Chauhan was arrested on CISF’s complaint and has been sent to judicial custody.

The point of intrusion is undergoing construction near the funnel area. That made the breach easy for Chauhan,who stands at 4 feet 5 inches,officials said.

PIDS to secure periphery
* The airport’s perimeter,scaled on several occasions by intruders in recent times,will become more secure once the Perimeter Intrusion Detection System (PIDS) is in place,according to officials
* Four-layered PIDS has physical and covert detection systems,including taut wire (barbed wire),buried cable,CCTV cameras and radars
* With a patrolling track all along the perimeter wall,it proposes to secure IGI’s outer periphery to detect and neutralise any possible case of intrusion
* Excluding the Air Force area and existing terminal buildings,the entire stretch of perimeter wall covered by PIDS will measure around 24 km
* Airport operator Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) said installation of PIDS is part of development projects related to Terminal 3.

“PIDS will be in place much before T3 is inaugurated for commercial operations in July,” says airport operator DIAL

Another intrusion: cop rewarded
The CISF on Monday said it has decided to reward the constable who was on duty near gate number 24 in the funnel area of Runway 29 from Dwarka side. The constable had caught Fazir Mohammed,65,after he jumped into the airside around 10 pm on Saturday. Mohammed,who comes from Haryana’s Nuh district,desperately wanted to go for Haj pilgrimage,he told officials during interrogation. Police officials said a team has been sent to his hometown to get a clear picture.