Delhi airport heightens security after threats to 2 London-bound flights
Security has been increased at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International airport after the banned outfit 'Sikhs for Justice' (SFJ) called for the obstruction of two Air India flights. SFJ had been declared an "unlawful association" by the Ministry of Home Affairs under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in July last year. The two flights are scheduled to fly from Delhi to London on Thursday.
In a video message, SFJ's General Counsel Gurpatwant Singh Pannun called for the disruption of London-bound flights AI-111 and AI-531 on the 36th anniversary of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. Pannun said the disruption is aimed at drawing the world's attention to Sikh genocide in India. He called upon the passengers of the two flights to stand against Sikh genocide and avoid the flights.
According to Hindustan Times, the Delhi Police and Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) have heightened security arrangements at the airport. After Pannun's message, the Delhi Police's anti-terror unit alerted the police at the airport along with the CISF, which is deployed at the airport. Senior Delhi Police and CISF officers also held a meeting on Tuesday to review the situation.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (IGI airport) Rajeev Ranjan told HT, "We have increased the number of pickets and every vehicle entering the airport is being checked. Armed plainclothes men have been deployed at the airport as well as at the terminal." Ranjan said additional deployment has been made due to the festive season and assured that action will be taken if any incident occurs.
The anti-Sikh riots had happened after the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, in whose honor the Delhi airport has been named. Gandhi was gunned down by her own Sikh bodyguards on October 31, 1984, after she had ordered military action in Amritsar's Golden Temple as part of Operation Blue Star to capture Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, who campaigned for Khalistan—a separate state for Sikhs.
