Bidhannagar City Police cracks down on airport touts

Kolkata: Bidhannagar City Police initiated a crackdown on touts at the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International (NSCBI) Airport from about a month ago to protect the flight passengers from getting harassed by them.

So far, police have arrested about 45 touts in the past one month and they have been booked for alleged extortion (384 IPC) and criminal conspiracy (120B) for harassing flyers in the name of arranging a car. In some cases, 151 of IPC has been added to the registered FIRs for ‘knowingly joining or continuing in assembly of five or more persons after it has been commanded to disperse’.

Sources said that though no specific complaints were lodged, Bidhannagar City Police officials were getting tip-offs about a racket harassing flight passengers by charging exorbitant amounts for a ride to their destinations. Acting on the source information, cops began a regular check-in and around the arrival terminal building. Since June last year, police had either prosecuted or arrested about 150 touts till August last year. As a result of continuous raids, the tout menace reduced significantly until the festive season.

During December last week, more than 30 touts were arrested. According to Aishwariya Sagar, deputy commissioner of Airport Division of Bidhannagar City Police, the raids are still continuing on a regular basis.