Anti-hijack Mock Drill
A passenger coach, i.e. a mini van designated as an aircraft, parked in an isolated area at the Coimbatore Airport on Friday for the purpose of conducting an anti-hijack mock drill. Speeding police vehicles with blaring siren and arrival of anti-sabotage teams (AST) at Coimbatore Airport took everyone by surprise. The scene was part of an anti-hijack mock drill by the Airports Authority of India (AAI), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and City Police to check the preparedness of the machinery and the reaction time. At 10.42 a.m., the AAI authorities sounded an alert to the City Police stating that an aircraft named Western West Airlines plying on the West Land – Coimbatore – West Land sector was hijacked. A passenger coach was positioned in lieu of an aircraft and it was announced that 11 passengers were on board with four airline crew. Initial information put the number of hijackers at three.
The police control room was immediately informed. City Police Commissioner K.C. Mahali as Chairman of the Anti-Hijack Airport Security Committee immediately asked the police officers in charge of the jurisdiction and supervisory officers to rush to the spot. Within a few minutes, Assistant Commissioner of Police (East), K. Gopalasamy and Inspector (Peelamedu), K. Palanisamy cordoned off the area and deployed an access control mechanism.
Deputy Commissioners of Police (Law and Order), S. Rajendran and K. Thondiraj (Crime and Traffic) arrived at the airport with reinforcements and AST of bomb detection and disposal squad (BDDS) besides a sniffer dog. The chairman of the committee along with convenor of the committee, airport Director K. Hemalatha and a member of the committee, Deputy Commandant of CISF, Arun Singh commenced negotiations.
Meanwhile, items such as food and medicine demanded by the hijackers were sent to them. To analyse the mindset of the hijackers as per the blue book, psychiatrist Dr. D. Srinivasan was also roped in. In the first round of negotiations, as sought by the authorities the hijackers released three aged and ailing passengers. It was stated that hijackers identifying themselves to be Tiger Commando Force (TCF) sought US $ two million and release of two terrorists from prison. It is learnt that the commando trained personnel who had taken position overpowered the hijackers arresting all three of them besides releasing the remaining eight passengers and four airline crew.
Briefing mediapersons soon after the drill, Mr. Mahali said that it went on well. He said that the machinery concerned had reacted well within the stipulated time. The entire exercise was aimed at testing the “efficacy and efficiency” of the system and to ensure compliance and adherence to the security manual. Later, the officials had a de-briefing session to analyse the strengths and weakness and plug the loopholes, if any.
