Air India's Mumbai control centre on Saturday received a phone call threatening to hijack its plane, following which Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) ordered all airlines and CISF to follow specific enhanced measures to ensure security, according to an official note. "A telephonic message received by the station duty office, AI (Air India) AOCC (Airport Operation Control Centre) Mumbai, stating information regarding a threat to Indian Airlines flight getting hijacked to Pakistan on 23.2.2019," said the BCAS note. The note added, "In view of the above, APSU (Airport Security Unit)/ASG (Aviation Security Group) and all aircraft operators shall adopt the following (eight) measures with immediate effect." Both APSU and ASG are part of the Central Industrial Security Force. Indian Airlines is part of the Air India. According to BCAS note, the measures to be followed are: *Strict access control to regulate entry to terminal building, airside, all operational area and other aviation facilities *Intensive checking of vehicles entering car parking area to preclude possibility of car bomb attacks *Enhanced screening of passengers, staff and visitors including enhanced random screening at the main gate *Enhanced screening and protection of hold baggage, cargo, cargo terminal, catering, mails, etc. *Surveillance through CCTV cameras as well as manual surveillance in and around the terminal building and operational areas *Quick reaction team and perimeter patrolling to be strengthened *Manning of all cargo gates and vehicle entry gates will be strengthened with strong armed support *Any other security measures based on local intelligence inputs The Parliament passed Anti-Hijacking (Amendment) Bill in 2014 in order to lay down a new protocol to deal with hijacking of an airplane. "The Bill provides death punishment for the offence of hijacking, where such offence results in the death of a hostage or of a security personnel; or with imprisonment for life and the moveable and immoveable property of such persons shall also be liable to be confiscated," the Union government said in a statement on December 3, 2014. — PTI<doc-sep>Gunman attempts to hijack Dubai-bound plane in Bangladesh Bangladesh security officials on Sunday foiled a bid to hijack a Dubai-bound flight of the state-run Biman Airlines carrying 148 passengers, killing the suspect gunman. The flight, en route Dubai from Dhaka via Chattogram, made an emergency landing at the Shah Amanat International Airport in the coastal city of Chattogram following the hijack bid. Army, Navy and elite police cordoned off the plane soon after it landing. All the passengers, pilots and crew members were evacuated safely. According to army Major General Matiur Rahman, the suspect, a Bangladeshi national identified as Mahadi, refused to surrender when asked to, forcing "the commandos to go for action (firing)", which "lasted eight minutes". "He (hijacker) succumbed to his wounds after the military commandos captured him (with gun shots)," Rahman told a media briefing at Chattogram airport, adding that the suspect was carrying a gun. Air force's Chattgram base commander Air Vice Marshal Mufidur Rahman, who was also present at the media briefing, said he kept the hijacker engaged in talks while special forces units prepared for the raid. "The man repeatedly wanted to talk to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina," he said, adding that the hijacker allowed the passengers to disembark the plane during the negotiation process. Meanwhile, in a press conference in Dhaka, Bangladesh Civil Aviation Authority (CAAB) Chairman Air Vice Marshal Naim Hassan said the hijacker was equipped with a hand gun and explosives. An investigation would be carried out to determine how the man boarded the aircraft with arms and explosives, he said. According to eyewitnesses, minutes after the Flight BG-147, which was on its way to Dubai from Dhaka via Chattogram, flew from the Chattogram Shah Amanat International Airport, it returned and made an emergency landing at 5:40 pm. The emergency exit was opened through which the passengers disembarked immediately. The captain and the first officer of the flight also came out later, they said. FULL VIDEO: Gunman attempts to hijack Dubai-bound plane in Bangladesh Latest World News<doc-sep>Air India took the call seriously after the Pulwama terror attack. (File) The Navi Mumbai police in Maharashtra has registered an offence against the unidentified caller who had threatened to hijack an Air India aircraft and take it to Pakistan. The call had been made to a Navi Mumbai-based call centre which provides service to the national carrier Friday night. "We have registered a case at Rabale MIDC station under IPC sections 505 (public mischief) and 507 (criminal intimidation by an anonymous communication)," said Deputy Commissioner of Police Sudhakar Pathare Sunday. "We are probing the case with the help of Cyber Cell," he added. Following the threat call, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai was put on high alert and the security there was beefed up. Though it was classified as a non-specific threat, Air India took it seriously in view of the situation in the wake of the Pulwama terror attack. The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security Saturday issued directives to all airlines and airport authorities to adopt "enhanced security measures" such as stricter checking of vehicles entering parking areas and enhanced screening of passengers, staff and visitors.<doc-sep>
The authorities on Saturday beefed up the security in and around the country’s busiest Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA), following a threat to an Air India aircraft getting hijacked to Pakistan. Official sources said on Saturday that a telephonic message received by the station duty office of the AI Mumbai Airport Operation Control Centre (AI AOCC) giving information about its flight getting hijacked to Pakistan some time on Saturday. Since the information did not specify any timing of a possible hijack and the flight that is might be hijacked, the authorities were not taking any chances. Said to have been termed as “non-classified” threat, the authorities are keeping a close vigil of Air India flights coming from anywhere in the country. In a communication sent on behalf of Director-General, Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), the Dy. Director Ops.2, BCAS headquarters, New Delhi, advised the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF)’s APSU/ASG and all aircraft operators implement eight enhanced security measures with immediate effect. The advisory put out by the Dy. Director Ops.2, BCAS headquarters, New Delhi read thus: “A telephonic message received by the State Duty Office, AI-AOCC Mumbai, stating information regarding a threat to Indian Airlines flight getting hijacked to Pakistan on 23.02.2019”. While the Airport Security Unit (APSU) and Aviation Security Group (ASG) are part of CISF, the Indian Airlines is part of the national carrier AI. Among other things, the advisory ordered the various stake holders: Strict access control to regulate entry to terminal building, airside, all operational areas and other aviation facilities, intensive checking of vehicles entering car parking area to preclude the possibility of car bomb attacks and enhanced screening of passengers, staff and visitors including extra random screening at the main gate, hold baggage, cargo, cargo terminal, catering, mails, etc. The other measures in the advisory were: surveillance - both through CCTVs and manual - in and around the terminal building and operational areas and strengthening of Quick Reaction Team (QRT) and perimeter patrolling. The advisory also directed APSU/ASG and all aircraft operators to strengthen the manning of all cargo gates and vehicle entry gates with strong armed support and any other security measures based on local intelligence inputs.