“We need dedicated force for security of airports,” says pilot of plane hijacked in 1999

New Delhi [India]: After the 1999 Kandahar hijack, a dedicated force for airports–Airport Security Force (ASF) was conceptualized but it never happened, said Devi Sharan, the former Air India pilot whose IC-814 was hijacked to Kandahar in December 1999.

Devi Saran, while addressing an event after the inauguration of Aviation Security Culture Week-2023 at BCAS Headquarters in Delhi, explained how the Amritsar Police and the security of the airport were ‘helpless’ when the hijacked plane landed in Punjab.

“In 1999, when the hijacked plane landed in Amritsar, the security at Amritsar airport was with local police and they were helpless. By the time a team of commandos took off from Delhi to control the situation, hijackers took the flight to Pakistan,” Saran said.

He further said that the situation of the time could have been averted if there was a dedicated security force for the airports.

“If there was a dedicated security force for airports in 1999, the situation could have been averted. After the incident, a suggestion was made for a dedicated security force for airports but never formalized. It is a good move, and we should have one to deal with any untoward situation in the future,” the former pilot said.

Notably, the terrorists had hijacked the airbus that was enroute from Kathmandu to Delhi carrying 176 passengers in 1999.

From Amritsar to Lahore to Dubai and then finally to Kandahar — the captain, Devi Saran was asked to take the plane to Taliban heartland.

The hostage crisis lasted for seven days after India agreed to release three terrorists — Mushtaq Ahmed Zargar, Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, and Masood Azhar.

However, Zulfiquar Hassan, Director General of the Bureau of Civil Aviation (BCAS) said they already have Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), a dedicated force for security at airports.

“CISF are well equipped and trained to secure airports and deal with any situation,” Hassan said.

On July 24, the parliamentary committee on the Department Related Standing Committee for Transport, Tourism and Culture recommended a specialized security agency for airports.

The panel recommended that the Ministry of Civil Aviation may examine the feasibility of setting up a specialized security agency for airports only, in consultation with the Ministry of Home Affairs.