Work out counter-terror plan for Srinagar, Leh, Jammu airports, CISF told

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, February 20

Keeping in view the security scenario in J&K, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has asked the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) to work out a counter-terrorist contingency plan (CTCP) for Srinagar, Leh and Jammu airports, officials said.

Categorised Hyper-sensitive

• Officials say Srinagar, Leh and Jammu airports fall under the ‘hyper-sensitive’ category of aviation infrastructure in the country
• Threat to this aviation infrastructure was flagged at a recent meeting. A DIG-level officer will be assigned the CTCP task.

Terror suspect arrested in Doda district

• A suspected Lashkar-e-Toiba terrorist, Adil Iqbal Butt of Sazan-Bajarni village, was arrested in Doda district.
• He was caught by a joint team of security forces at a checkpoint in Thathri. A pistol, two magazines and nine rounds were seized from his possession.
• Officials say the suspect was being handled by Mohd Amin, alias Muzamil, alias Haroon, alias Umar, based in Pakistan.

Srinagar, Leh and Jammu airports fall under the ‘hyper-sensitive’ category of aviation infrastructure in the country, according to officials.

In February 2020, the CISF took over the security of Jammu and Srinagar airports from the police. The force got the Leh airport’s responsibility in August that year.

According to information, the decision to direct the CISF to work out a detailed CTCP in view of any future threat was taken following a recent meeting with all stakeholders, who flagged the issue of possible terror threat to these aviation infrastructures.

For the purpose, the MHA has issued a revised template and the CISF has been asked to co-ordinate with the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) and jointly draft the CTCP for the three airports. The task has been assigned to a Deputy Inspector General (DIG)-level officer of the force.

In this regard, a draft standard operating procedure (SOP) has been sent to the Intelligence Bureau (IB), the National Security Guard (NSG) and the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) for comments, officials said.

According to officials, at present only Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport and Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport have a counter-terrorist contingency plan.

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