Man shot at for trying to enter Hindon airbase

A man was shot at and wounded by security personnel at the Hindon airbase in Uttar Pradesh around midnight when he tried to slip into the high-security zone, police said on Wednesday.

The 25-year-old has since been admitted to a medical facility at the air base in Sahibabad and is being interrogated by the Indian Air Force officers and the state police.

The intruder has been identified as Sujeet, a resident of Anand Vihar in east Delhi.

He was seen lurking around the Hindon airbase at around 10.30 p.m. on Tuesday.

Sujeet was first seen examining a combat jet installed outside the airbase. He then tried to enter through Gate No.1. When prevented by the security personnel, he started scaling the boundary wall.

Despite "Shoot at sight" signs displayed boldly against any such attempts, the police said, Sujeet continued and did not stop despite several warnings.

The security personnel then shot at Sujeet's leg.

Shot below the knee, the intruder was rendered immobile. The security guards were able to overpower and capture him. Sujeet was taken to a military hospital inside the base and the police was informed.

The IAF intelligence wing and the police are grilling him and trying to ascertain whether he has any terror links.

A senior state government official told IANS that the accused is originally from Pratapgarh in Uttar Pradesh.

"His mobile phone is being screened. Call details are being fetched. A police team is being sent there to get more details," said Anoop Singh, Assistant Superintendent of Police.

During questioning Sujeet revealed that someone told him that he could get a good job in Saudi Arabia. So he came to the nearest airbase which is the Hindon Air Force station.

He was preparing "to take a ride" on one of the planes, he told the team probing him.

Superintendent of Police (City) Aakash Tomar said security has been beefed up and additional forces were deployed in the peripheral areas of the airbase.

The incident assumes significance as the central intelligence agencies had tipped off the IAF on Sunday that around six LeT terrorists might try and sneak into the Hindon air base and mount a Pathankot-style attack.

--IANS

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