CISF, customs tussle halts vehicles at Mumbai airport

A tussle between the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) - the agency responsible for airport security - and the customs officials caused a vehicular traffic hold-up at the Mumbai airport for two hours on Wednesday, HT reports.

A tussle between the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) - the agency responsible for airport security - and the customs officials caused a vehicular traffic hold-up at the Mumbai airport for two hours on Wednesday.

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Catering vans, oil tankers and safety patrol jeeps entering the airfield were slowed down as the CISF stopped manning two crucial entry points - gates 1 and 6. The customs officials had to take over the the gates.

Confirming the incident, a Mumbai International Airport Limited spokesperson said, "There was no impact on flight operations as traffic from these two gates was instantly diverted to other entrances and it was the lean period of the day".

The altercation started after CISF officers stopped a customs vehicle for routine frisking.

Customs sources said the CISF started the ruckus after two of their officials were caught patrolling the tarmac without licences.

The relation between the departments became strained after customs arrested two CISF officers on August 10 for their alleged involvement in a gold smuggling racket.