High alert at Indian airports

2008-12-04 09:20

New Delhi - Three major Indian airports have been put on high terrorism alert following intelligence reports, an official of the Civil Aviation Ministry said on Thursday.

The alert comes in the wake of a terrorist attack on India's financial hub Mumbai last week that left more than 170 people dead.

"Passengers have been asked to arrive three hours before their flights. There is more detailed checking. All luggage is being 100% checked," Moushumi Chakravarty, an information officer at the ministry, said.

She said more layers of security had been put in place. All vehicles entering the airport premises were being checked and there was more "perimeter surveillance".

Meanwhile, the NDTV television channel said India's Bureau of Civil Aviation had issued a hijack alert for Delhi, Bangalore and Chennai airports after a mailed warning said terror groups may hijack aircraft from these airports on Saturday, December 6.

International flights land at all three airports.

There is usually a high alert at major government installations across India on December 6. On that day in 1992, Hindu fanatics pulled down the medieval Babri mosque in the northern city of Ayodhya.

The destruction of the mosque triggered nationwide sectarian riots in which more than 1 000 people were killed.

Chakravarty said she was not aware of a hijack alert.

Chiefs of the Indian army, navy and air force held a meeting with federal Defence Minister AK Antony in New Delhi late on Wednesday to review security issues.

Indian Air Force Chief Fali Homi Major confirmed on Thursday that the possibility of an aerial attack by terrorists had been discussed at the meeting, PTI news agency reported.

India has seen an increased surge of terrorist attacks in 2008 with serial bombings in several major cities including the Rajasthan capital Jaipur, Ahmedabad in Gujarat and Guwahati in the north-eastern state of Assam.

More than 400 people have been killed in these attacks.

- DPA