Annual anti-hijacking mock exercise conducted at Rajkot airport
Rajkot, July 8
The Central Industrial Security Force on Wednesday conducted the Annual Anti-Hijacking Mock Exercise at Rajkot Airport to assess the preparedness and response capabilities of various agencies in handling a simulated aircraft hijacking scenario, a release said.
The exercise was chaired by Additional Commissioner of Police, Rajkot, Chaitanya Mandlik, and saw the participation of senior officials and personnel from the CISF, Airports Authority of India (AAI), the district administration, the Intelligence Bureau, airlines, aviation stakeholders, and other participating agencies.
According to the CISF, the mock drills strengthen operational readiness, enhance inter-agency coordination, and reinforce preparedness to address evolving aviation security challenges.
In June, an anti-hijacking mock exercise (AHME) was successfully conducted at the Chennai International Airport to evaluate and strengthen the operational readiness and emergency response capabilities of multiple security and civil aviation agencies.
The high-profile security drill was held under the supervision of J Anne Mary Swarna, Joint Home Secretary, Government of Tamil Nadu, and in the presence of R Ponni, DIG/CASO, along with senior officials from participating stakeholder departments, as per a statement released by CISF earlier.
The comprehensive exercise simulated a highly realistic aircraft takeover scenario, utilising a passenger bus to accurately recreate complex operational conditions on the ground.
Such joint military-civilian exercises play a vital role in fortifying protocols against hijacking threats, sharpening immediate operational response capabilities, and ensuring that all security apparatuses can seamlessly work together to tackle evolving global aviation security challenges, it added.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Rajkot airport getting this attention is great. But I wish such drills were more frequent across smaller airports—terrorists don't just target metros. Every airport matters.
This is reassuring! 😊 With global tensions rising, mock exercises like these are vital. Hope the CISF and local authorities work out any gaps found during the drill. Safety first always!
Impressive coordination! As someone who travels frequently, I appreciate knowing that airports like Rajkot are practicing for worst-case scenarios. It's a reminder that security is a continuous process, not a one-time setup.
These drills are good, but I hope they don't become just a photo op for officials. Real preparedness means regular surprise checks and involving ground staff too. Let's see if lessons learned are actually implemented.
A well-coordinated effort! 👏 It's good that multiple agencies like IB and district admin are involved—hijacking isn't just a security issue, it needs a whole-of-government response. Rajkot should be proud of this initiative.
Very thorough! Simulating with a bus to recreate aircraft conditions is smart. It shows attention to detail. I just hope passenger safety is also prioritized during such drills—no unnecessary risks to participants.
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