Security has been beefed up at Indira Gandhi International Airport and Delhi Metro stations ahead of the Republic Day parade after authorities received intelligence input that at least seven terrorists have got hold of Indian Army uniform worn by personnel of captain and subedar ranks. Security forces on election duty in Punjab have also been alerted.
"Seven terrorists have been seen outside Chakri and Gurdaspur border posts. The group has acquired combat ranks of captain and subedar of Indian Army, which are likely to be worn after infiltration," the IB alert that originated from Amritsar in Punjab stated.
"In view of the Republic Day, we are maintaining the highest level of security and two additional layers of frisking have been added at the airport. While at the Metro stations, one layer of security has been added, where commuters are frisked while they are in queue and the second one after they cross the metal detector," a CISF official was quoted as saying by the Hindustan Times.
The CISF personnel have also been told to profile passengers on a random basis at entry points and check their baggage. It has also ordered for ladder-point checking which means that passengers may also be asked to get their baggage scanned while boarding, an exercise conducted when the level of threat is the highest.
"We have strengthened the security at the approach road and through spped breakers, vehicles will be slowed down. We have also asked the airlines to start the Secondary Ladder Point Checking (SLPC) just before passengers enter the aircraft. We request the passengers to reach before time as due to multiple layers of security, the queues are expected to be longer," CISF's Director General OP Singh was quoted as saying by HT.
"We request passengers to reach before time as queues are expected to be longer because of the multiple layers of security," Singh had said on Monday.
The CISF has also put together a "sweeping squad" with personnel trained to profile passengers and detect suspicious movement.
However, passengers seem to be facing inconvenience due to security having been beefed up at the airport.
"At some points, CISF is asking women to remove jewellery before proceeding while some passengers are asked to open their baggage at the entry gate itself. Even at the check-in counters there are long queues," Radha Singh, a traveller, told the daily.
