Airports All Over India Tighten Security

Commandos rushed into place Wednesday at India's Indira Gandhi International Airport, after at least two hijacking threats against flights from New Delhi to Hyderabad.

Local reports said a Jet Airways and an Indian Airlines flight were specifically mentioned. There was, however, no hijacking.

"A quick reaction team surrounded the apron area and personnel started full frisking of passengers," said Yogendra Nath Sharma who runs security at IGI. The caller said he wanted to collect a reward offered for information on terrorism. His contact number turned out to be fake.

Those incidents highlight a security alert at airports across India, where intelligence reports suggest terrorists would hijack an aircraft and fly it to the Persian Gulf.

"The alert was sounded a week ago and it continues," said Jitender Bhargava, who speaks for both Air India and Indian Airlines, which are state-run carriers.

There have been scares at other airports in India as well. Tuesday, a similar alert was sounded at the Karipur Airport near Kozhikode in Kerela, after intelligence reports indicated Islamic fundamentalists planned to stage a hijacking there.

FMI: http://civilaviation.nic.in/bcas/bcas_txt.htm