Nine years after hijack of IC-814, New Delhi’s concerns remain

New Delhi: Nearly nine years have lapsed since an Indian Airlines flight outbound from Kathmandu was hijacked, but New Delhi still remains concer
ned regarding the security of its flights operating in and out of Nepal. The apprehensions of the Indian security agencies regarding the security systems in place at the Kathmandu airport, especially access control and passenger/baggage screening, were once again shared with Nepal during the home secretary-level talks here on Friday and Saturday.
“We have raised the issue (of aviation security) that is our concern...the Nepalese home secretary has assured us that his country will do whatever is needed to address these concerns,” Union home secretary Madhukar Gupta told newspersons after conclusion of talks with his Nepalese counterpart Gobinda Prasad Kusum.
Mr Gupta said Mr Kusum had taken note of New Delhi’s concerns —heightened by intelligence inputs that terror outfits may once again try to hijack flights to secure the release of Parliament attack convict on death row, Mohammad Afzal Guru — and assured him that he would discuss the same with the government of Nepal for possible action.
When asked for details on what aspects of security would be strengthened by Nepal, Mr Gupta indicated that it could relate to both security of the aircraft as well as the Kathmandu airport in general, though the finer details would have to be worked out by the civil aviation ministries on either side.
02/11/08 Economics Times

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Categories: Air India Domestic Nov 2008, Foreign Nov 2008, NACIL Nov 2008, Safety Nov 2008