New Delhi: Given the possibility of Pakistani-based terror outfits activating their sleeper cells across India to carry out attacks on airlines or hijack civilian aircraft, the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) has handed over charge of cargo and baggage screening operations at all airports to the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) till May 18.
While the CISF is in charge of overall security at airports, the Force is not mandated to carry out screening of cargo or baggage.
The BCAS office memorandum, dated May 9, temporarily extends the role of the CISF as the Aviation Security Group (ASG) to provide additional security cover to cargo operations and the In-line Hold Baggage Screening System (ILHBSS). This effectively means that CISF personnel will now be in charge at the baggage scanners that were handled by airline security staff till now.
According to officials, the decision was taken, keeping in mind the ongoing conflict between India and Pakistan that was set off by the gruesome massacre of 26 persons, mostly tourists from across the country, by terrorists at Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir on April 22. In response, India carried out high-precision strikes on terror infrastructures at nine locations in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) on May 7.
Among the targets were headquarters of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM). Of the over 100 terrorists killed, there were kin of JeM chief Masood Azhar, proscribed terrorists themselves. Azhar and LeT chief Hafeez Saeed have vowed to avenge the deaths.
“The CISF has responded immediately and resumed oversight over cargo and baggage operations. CISF will oversee operations and the security staff of airport operators for ILHBSS. The directives also authorize CISF personnel to perform random checks and oversee access control to these critical facilities,” an official said.
All the airports under cover of CISF, have already implemented the new strengthened system. The decision aims to introduce a crucial secondary layer of checks to enhance aviation security.
