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Mumbai airport on high alert after call about serial blasts
The Mumbai airport turned into a fortess late night on Monday after its control room recieved a call threatening serial blasts across its terminals.
The Mumbai airport was put on high alert after a caller told its control room late on Monday that its domestic and international terminals as well as the Taj Hotel may be attacked.
According to security personnel, the call that came around 8:30pm was made by a person who identified himself as Vishesh Kumar.
Kumar told the control room at the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport he had overheard a few people discussing a terror plot. He heard that 16 vehicles loaded with explosives would be used to carry out the terror attack at domestic terminal, international terminal and the Taj Hotels between 9am and 10am.
A press statement released by the Taj Hotel, which was one of the prime targets of the Pakistani attackers during the 26/11 terror attacks in 2008, said, “The Mumbai police conducted a thorough security check and have confirmed the call to be a hoax. We continue to be highly vigilant at all times to ensure safety and security of our guests.”
As per protocol we go on high alert when there is a specific threat such as naming a location of attack,” said a senior airport security jawan, adding that they had not found any evidence to support the caller’s claims.
The Mumbai airport spokesperson said police have traced the caller but refused to divulge any details.
Security at the airport has been scaled up as per high alert protocol. The deployment of armed guards posted at watch booths ahead of terminal gates has been doubled. Vehicles entering the airport are being checked ramdomly and motorists frisked. Plain clothed teams are also patrolling the terminal.
The city airport has frequently recorded such threats in the recent past. One of threat messages were scribbled inside a toilet wall in T2, the new international terminal.
