BANGALORE: The Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) is put on high alert since Tuesday evening following an alert from the Ministry of Home Affairs.The ministry had issued an alert that there is a possibility of a woman human bomb entering the airport with explosives and carry out the terror attack.Since the ministry issued the communication on Tuesday evening, the security at the airport was beefed up and the passengers were frisked thoroughly. Even, the security personnel scanned the double checked the flights that were about to fly and arrived at airport.Just after the alert was issued, the BIAL also issued a notice to the passengers requesting them to be present for a few hours for increased security checks. A notice read "Bengaluru International Airport, in coordination with CISF and state police, has put in place enhanced security arrangements in view of the threat message received for the airport. Passengers are requested to factor in additional time for security measures."However, city's North East Deputy Commissioner of Police B R Ravikanthegowda maintained that it was a general alert."The airport has received inputs like there is a possibility of a suspect possibly carrying explosives into the airport. Following this, the security has been stepped up," he added.Meanwhile, a senior police official said that the alert was just a mock drill to see how the security forces respond whenever there is a security threat. "The ministry just wanted to check how the forces work during crisis and accordingly a red alert was sounded in the airport. The exercise may continue for another two days," he explained.Not let inThe staff of the anti-sabotage squad who went to the airport to conduct a search on Wednesday were not let in by the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel, who guard the airport. The CISF personnel, who were given strict instructions to not let anybody inside the airport, just followed the orders of their higher ups. Though the anti-sabotage squad tried to convince them that they were also directed to carry out search operations at the airport, it did not work. However, the issue was sorted out with the intervention of higher officials. Later, the squad carried on with its duty.Most flights were delayed by 2030 minutes after the security scare at the BIA.
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