CHENNAI: The Greater Chennai Police (GCP) is set to come up with a detailed Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) including an enhanced patrol in areas around the Chennai International Airport to curb the menace of laser lights aiming at flights landing at the airport.
A meeting in this regard was chaired by N Kannan IPS, additional commissioner, GCP, with Airports Authority of India (AAI), Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and other agencies at the airport on June 11.
Kannan was shown a presentation by AAI which indicated that the laser problem was being faced by pilots landing their aircraft from the St Thomas Mount and Pallavaram end of the air strip. Agencies have also collected geolocation data regarding where the lights could have come from.
According to official sources, the agencies have decided to come up with a joint action plan to curb this menace and take strict action against perpetrators. The personnel from the St Thomas Mount police district, under which the airport falls, will carry out enhanced patrolling in the vicinity and file cases against those found to be involved in this.
Another important change in the SOP will be to get written complaints from AAI for te police to file cases. Currently, only oral complaints are being given, a senior official said.
There have been multiple cases of pointing laser lights at incoming flights recently. GCP has issued a warning that this could distract pilots while landing.
In 2025, there have been 25 instances of laser lights pointed at landing aircraft. In 2024, AAI had recorded 70 such instances, an increase from 51 in 2023, sources said.
A senior police official said based on preliminary investigation, the lights were likely to be originating from parties or music events/concerts which use laser lights and were inadvertently pointed towards the flights.
Any such use of laser beam or other lights are prohibited under section 223 (a) of BNS, 2023 that bans laser lights and drones near airport. Similarly, Rule 65 and 66 of Aircrafts Rules, 1937 regulate laser lights and other aerial activities near the airport, GCP said.
Additionally, shining a laser beam at an aircraft is a serious offence and falls under Sec 125 of BNS which is defined as “Act endangering life or personal safety of others”, GCP said in a recent caution notice.