Republic Day alert: Addl frisking, shoe check at vital airports

With high alert being sounded across the country in view of forthcoming Republic Day celebrations, security agencies have stepped up vigil at sensitive airports in the country entailing passengers to go through a second round of frisking and detailed scanning of their footwear and handbags.

At large and important airports like Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Chennai and Ahmedabad, passengers are being screened through multiple layers of CISF and airport security and a number of them are being asked to take out shoes and open hand baggages for a thorough checking.

Airlines and special teams of the CISF and airport security have been asked to conduct risk-based Secondary Ladder Point Check (SLPC) which entails frisking passengers on the air side just before entering the aircraft. 

"The instructions have been issued keeping in mind the prevailing security situation and based on the assessment of Central security agencies. While these measures are not new and there is nothing to panic, they are being deployed to add to the extra layer of security and ensure that nothing misses the eyes of the security personnel," a senior official involved in airport security said.