Pune: The Pune airport authorities and other agencies conducted a full-fledged bomb threat mock drill exercise with over 20 cases of bomb threats rattling different airlines across domestic and international sectors on Saturday. Airport officials said personnel belonging to the Airports Authority of India (AAI), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Indian Air Force (IAF), fire services, intelligence bureau, immigration, city police and various airlines, among others, participated in the exercise. "It was aimed to assess and strengthen the efficiency of collaboration, security preparedness and enhance coordination among agencies for swift responses in emergency situations," Pune airport director Santosh Dhoke told TOI.
He said lower rank staffers of the airport were told to stay alert and not take any calls or messages lightly that they might receive pertaining to bomb threats. "They were told to contact the operations control centre of the CISF or the airport director immediately and inform about any such calls, so that action may be taken without wasting time. No calls should be taken casually," the director added.
On Oct 17 night, a hoax bomb threat came via social media about explosives being planted on an IndiGo flight coming to Pune from Lucknow. Airport sources said all necessary protocols were followed and passengers of the flight and their belongings cleared within an hour. Meanwhile, during the mock drill, as play roll, a bus was treated as an aircraft and some .
