Security beefed up at Kochi airport on bomb threat

A threat of a bomb explosion or a possible suicide bomber attack on an Air India flight travelling from Mumbai sparked an immediate alert with authorities beefing up security at the international airport here.

The bomb detection squad was engaged at the airport and all security arrangements have been beefed up. An airport official told Business Standard the Rapid Action Force was also alerted and has been put on alert to serve emergencies.

All vehicles coming to the airport are being checked thoroughly and passengers are being screened carefully. Kochi airport director AKC Nair told they had received information from Kolkata that there was a threat to the AI flight on the Mumbai-Kochi sector on October 25 and Ahmedabad-Mumbai sector tonight.

He said the precautionary measures would continue for the next five days.

Apart from AI flights, all other airlines will also be checked thoroughly.

A high-level meeting was convened this morning by CISF DIG Anand Mohan, who arrived here from Chennai, to review the security at the airport.

Security arrangements at Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode airports have also been beefed up in the light of the threat.

The director of Airports Authority of India, Kolkata, received an anonymous call last night stating AI flights on the Ahmedabad-Mumbai and Mumbai-Kochi sector will be 'sabotaged', airport sources said.

The information had been handed over to the police and the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security and according to their directions security has been tightened at the airport, sources said.

A bomb detection and disposal squad, quick response team, CISF and the police are keeping a constant vigil at Cochin International airport.

Security at the airport perimeter entrance has also been further tightened. Police is also checking vehicles outside the airport.