In a first, the Juhu Aerodrome, which allegedly has weak security leading to intrusions into its premises by residents of neighbouring slums at times, is likely to be protected by specially-trained me
In a first, the Juhu Aerodrome, which allegedly has weak security leading to intrusions into its premises by residents of neighbouring slums at times, is likely to be protected by specially-trained men from a professional security agency Maharashtra Security Force (MSF).
On Thursday, a team from the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), visited the aerodrome with an aim to identify places requiring the MSF personnel to be deployed.
The move came in the light of several incidents wherein residents from adjacent slums had entered the premises illegally. In one such incident, which occurred in July, a few locals had intruded by breaking the wall and had entered the aerodrome attacking two security guards.
However, sources confirmed the officials from MSF, BCAS and Intelligence Bureau present for the meet discussed the security issues in the aerodrome and the places that need to be more secured.
Top officials from the aerodrome, however, claimed there had been a delay in the actual deployment of the security personnel. The team is likely to come out with the total number of selected areas for deployment of personnel in the next few weeks. According to officials from the aerodrome, after the order was passed in August this year, reminders were sent to the team for conducting the survey so that the deployment of security officials were made soon.
A senior official from Delhi said, “At times when a threat is a major concern, we expect the authorities to finish up the survey soon in order to have security personnel in place soon.”
Around 1 am on June 11, guards Sadashiv Tukaram Bugade (58) and Anil Nalawade (38) were on duty at the watchtower, which is inside the airport premises. Around five men, who were allegedly drunk and armed with wooden sticks, broke down the periphery wall, entered the area and started hitting the two guards. Following the incident, the Quick Response Team rushed the injured guards to Cooper Hospital.
