CHECKING OF Nepal-bound flights and their passengers continued at the Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport in Varanasi on Tuesday.
This was in wake of Pakistan-based terrorist outfit Lashkar-e- Tayyeba’s (LeT) suspected plan to hijack a Nepal-bound aircraft for the release of Afzal, who is to be hanged till death following a recent verdict of Supreme Court in connection with terrorist attack on Parliament.
The passengers and flights of Indian Airlines (IC-751) enroute, Delhi, Varanasi and Kathmandu and flight of Cosmic Airways enroute, Kathmandu, Varanasi and Kathmandu were checked minutely today. The passengers were taken to the security point of airport terminal for checking and later allowed to board.
Multi-layered security arrangements along with deployment of Quick Reaction Team (QRT) and the bomb disposal squad has been made at the airport.
The passengers travelling by Nepal-bound flights have been going through extensive checking by the personnel of Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) at the airport.
Taking serious note of the advisory input of Union Home Ministry that four Pakistani terrorists of Lashker-e-Tayyeba have been assigned by the outfit to hijack any plane for the release of Afzal, to be hanged till death in Tihar Jail on October 20 in connection with attack on Parliament in 1999, the flights en-route Nepal are being checked in an unprecedented way by the security personnel.
The advisory input to the authorities of CISF here mentioned that two of the four terrorists have managed to get a Nepalese passport.
{{/usCountry}}The advisory input to the authorities of CISF here mentioned that two of the four terrorists have managed to get a Nepalese passport.
{{/usCountry}}After announcement of capital punishment to Afzal by the Supreme Court in connection with attack on Parliament, the Central Intelligence Agencies apprehended that the incident of hijacking of an Indian Airlines plane by terrorists to Kandahar (Afganistan) for release of hardcore terrorist and chief of Jaish-e-Mohammad, Azhar Masood, could be repeated for the release of Afzal.
Nepal-bound flights from New Delhi, Kolkata and Varanasi could be the target of terrorists.
Keeping in view the apprehension, the CISF personnel, headed by its deputy commandant, swung into action along with the sketches of these terrorists and tightened the security in an unprecedented way.
Deputy Commandant of CISF, Rohitashva Kumar said, passengers travelling to Nepal by Indian Airlines and Cosmic Airways and also those returning by these flights are being checked minutely to ensure foolproof security of flights.