Mumbai: Around 30 officials from different agencies operating at Juhu airport were barred entry on Tuesday afternoon by police officers guarding the airport premises. This was reportedly a fallout of an altercation between the zonal deputy commissioner of police (DCP) and airport staff after the former entered the runway "accidentally" without alerting air traffic control (ATC). The runway was live at the time and helicopter movements were on. The DCP, Chhering Dorjee, has categorically denied entering the runway. The drama unfolded around 11.30am, when Dorjee was on one of his regular rounds on the airport perimeter road. He goes on regular inspections and usually keeps to the perimeter area, where security and police personnel are deployed. But on Tuesday, his jeep entered the airport tarmac and reached the beginning of the main runway. A puzzled ATC official sent fire station staff to keep the jeep off the runway. An official said three helicopters were lined up for take-off at the time.
01/05/13 Chinmayi Shalya/Times of India
