The airport operators in Delhi and Punjab have been instructed to cease issuing airport entry passes to visitors for the next few days. The directive comes from the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) in India a few days after Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, the founder of Sikhs for Justice (SJF), released a video threatening to target an Air India flight on November 19.
Last week, Pannun issued a video, where he was heard saying, “We are asking all Sikhs to avoid boarding Air India flights on November 19. On that day, there will be a global blockade, and Air India will not be allowed to fly anywhere across the world. Sikhs, you do not travel by Air India after November 19. It can be life-threatening. This is my warning to the government of India.”
It is to be noted here that the ICC World Cup final is scheduled to be held on November 19.
‘Issue of TAEP’s (temporary airport entry pass) entry of visitors to the terminal building of the IGI (Indira Gandhi International) airport (in Delhi) and sale of visitors entry tickets will be banned,’ BCAS order stated.
It added that the step was being taken as a precautionary measure following continuous threat messages shared by the central agencies regarding “threat to civil aviation installations over all India airport like airports, airstrips, airfields, air force stations, helipads, flying schools and aviation training schools.”
The regulatory authority has ordered a 100% secondary ladder point check (SLPC) requirement for all Air India flights at 161 airports, including those in Punjab, to enhance security measures.
The SLPC protocol mandates airline staff to conduct passenger and hand-luggage frisks after airport security clearance by the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) before boarding an aircraft, enhancing safety measures.
Accordingly, the order reads, ‘100% SLPC for all Air India flights at 161 Airport and airports in Punjab.’
The BCAS also sent the order to the Home affairs ministry (MHA).
Meanwhile, India has urged Canada to enhance security measures for Air India flights in response to a threat from the pro-Khalistani group. They have also called for action against the individual responsible for issuing the threat.
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