File picture of the airport

Oct. 21: City police have moved the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) authorities to arrange frisking of all incoming passengers and their baggage at the Lokapriya Gopinath Bardoloi International Airport at Borjhar here, to prevent any attempt by militants to smuggle in arms and ammunition.

The city police have also suggested installation of an X-ray machine at the main gate of the terminal building to scan baggage of incoming passengers.

City superintendent of police, H.C. Nath said that the proposals have been submitted to CISF authorities, as the latter looks after the airport security.

The recovery of four live bullets of AK- 47 rifles inside the departure lounge last week has prompted the city police to take up their proposals again with the CISF authorities.

“We have submitted the proposals to CISF authorities in writing. I also raised the matter recently during review of the airport security. We have been told by CISF authorities that they have taken up the proposals with the concerned authorities,” Nath said.

The city police authorities have laid more emphasis on checking of passengers arriving at the airport by helicopter.

“The incoming passengers of the airport, travelling by helicopter services, are hardly checked even at the place of origin. We have pointed out that if a militant manages to fly in to the airport in a helicopter service, he will be able to enter the city without his baggage being checked even once. If there is a mechanism to check the incoming passengers, then this possibility can be ruled out,” said a senior police official.

CISF sources, however, while agreeing that there is a need to check the passengers travelling by helicopter services, pointed out that other incoming passengers and their baggage are thoroughly checked at the airports from where their journey originates.

The city police authorities, however, have been insisting on checking of all incoming passengers to “ensure a double checking” to rule out human error of the security personnel at other airports. They cited instances when security personnel failed to detect arms being carried inside airports, during mock security drill.

“The idea behind checking of incoming passengers is to reduce the possibility of human error and not to suggest that security checking at other airports is not effective,” police official added.

On October 15, a cleaner of the airport found the four bullets concealed in a cigarette packet in a gent’s toilet inside the departure lounge.

The cleaner handed over the bullets to the CISF personnel on duty, who, in turn, handed them over to the Azara police station.