13 Indian airports on hijack alert

Security has been stepped up after intelligence inputs warn that terrorists may attempt to hijack an aircraft.

Security has been stepped up at 13 airports, including Delhi, Kolkata, Lucknow and Patna, after intelligence inputs warned that terrorists may attempt to hijack an aircraft.

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A high alert has been sounded at airports, all falling in northern parts of the country, as the inputs have suggested that the hijacking target could be a plane either coming from Kathmandu or going there, highly-placed sources said.

Intelligence input suggested that Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba could attempt hijacking a plane.

CISF, which is guarding all these airports, stepped up vigil and deployed additional personnel after the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security sounded the paramilitary force about the danger.

The airports where security has been beefed up include Varanasi, Gaya, Guwahati, Amritsar, Bagdogra, Chandigarh, Shimla, Bhuntar, Delhi, Kolkata, Patna and Lucknow, sources said.