MANGALURU: A live bomb was found inside an unattended bag at the ticket counter at Mangaluru International Airport (MIA) on Monday, triggering panic. The bomb was later set off through a controlled explosion by the Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad in an open ground at Kenjar, about 2 km from the city.
The police did not immediately point fingers at any organisation but they termed it a “threat to national security”. CCTV footage available at the airport showed a middle-aged man, dressed in formals and wearing a cap, placing a bag containing the explosive device on one of the chairs meant for passengers at the ticket counter near the entrance of the airport terminal building around 9 am. The accused had arrived at the airport in an autorickshaw.
Half an hour later, airport staff who noticed the unclaimed bag informed Central Industrial Security Force, which takes care of airport security, who alerted police. The bag was secured and put into a Threat Containment Vehicle parked away from the airport terminal. The area around the vehicle was cordoned off. At 2pm, the vehicle was taken to an open ground at Kenjar, where the explosive device was neutralised at 5.35 pm.
Police have released pictures of the accused who placed the device, and appealed to people to tip off the police about the accused. Stating that police have been able to make a preliminary breakthrough into the case, Mangaluru City police commissioner P S Harsha said they will soon unravel the conspiracy behind it and the forces involved in it.
Meanwhile, a hoax call that a bomb has been placed in an Indigo flight bound to Bengaluru, sent the Mangaluru police into a tizzy. MIA director V V Rao said the airport terminal manager received an anonymous call. The caller claimed a bomb had been placed on a flight which was to take off at 3.15pm. The aircraft was taken to the isolation bay where the Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad checked it and found the call to be a hoax. The flight left for Bengaluru after necessary clearance was given.
DRAMA AT MIA
9 am: A middle-aged man arrives at MIA, places bag containing explosive device on a chair near airport terminal entrance
9.30 am: Airport staff notice unclaimed, suspicious-looking bag, inform CISF
10 am: Bomb Disposal and Detection Squad pressed into action
10.15 am: Sniffer dogs indicate possible explosive in bag
10.30 am: Bag secured by squad, put into Threat Containment Vehicle, area cordoned off
2 pm: Vehicle taken to open space in Kenjar for disposal
5.35 pm: Explosive device defused
Suspect magnified in artist’s eyes
While the suspect had a cap on, possibly to conceal his identity, his side profile was caught on the airport’s CCTV network, but it is grainy. TNIE’s artist tries to give you a closer look at his facial features
Security beefed up at Kochi airport
Kochi: Hours after a live bomb was found inside Mangaluru airport, the Cochin International Airport (CIAL) at Nedumbassery here imposed a ban on entry for visitors. Though CIAL officials claim this is part of enhanced security ahead of Republic Day, CISF sources said it was prompted by the security alert following the Mangaluru incident.