The story was a dry run to show the security lapse which will man the BIAL when it starts operational fully. This story was discussed with K R Sreenivas the Resident Editor of the Bangalore Mirror, before going through the run. One other person who helped me in this dry run was Somashekar of the Business Line. I thank him for this dry run and for a great favor which we gave to the security to tighten their belts before the real opening of the Bengaluru International Airport. A lighter, a match box and a stray dog … slipped through the security check during the trail run at the BIA on Friday, 7th March 2008.
It was a trial run for operational readiness among other things at the Bengaluru International Airport on Friday, 7th March 2008. for us, it was also time to test just how water tight the security at our spanking new airport in Devanahalli, which is all set to open on March 30, was. Is it as safe as it is swanky?
So we packed in a Barton and Gustier jack knife, two match boxes and a lighter – some in our pockets and some in the bag that holds our camera. Why did we do it? Since we were informed that despite it being a trial run, security was going to be high and the metal detectors et al were going to be used for security clearance just as it is done in HAL, we had to see for ourselves. Also, what better time to do a reality check!
Result: Our team managed to sneak in a match box, a lighter and even summoned up the courage to smoke inside the apron area as the air force and other trial run planes landed one after the other.
First came the baggage screening. The bag was screened by the CISF and the inspector in charge marked the bag. “Remove the jack knife and give it to me. Take it back on your way out,” he said. We gladly obliged. The match box and the lighter which were also in the bag got through easily.Next came the body check. They found the match box in my pant pocket and I surrendered it. After that, we took our camera bags into the apron area where the high density fuel tanks and the planes would be parked after touch down. Then, we boarded a double decker bus from which we could take our pictures of the plane movement on the tarmac.
We waited for an appropriate time to shoot our smuggled goods (our editor needs proof!) even as we photographed the arrival of the first Kingfisher plane from Mumbai. Soon after the second one, a 12-seater owned by the Larsen & Toubro United, landed, there was a stray dog running through the apron area even as the jeep was maneuvering the plane tp the parking bay- much to the delight of the photographers and dismay of the CISF personnel manning the area.
This incident emboldened us and we fished out the match box, the cigarette lighter and took some pictures with the first Kingfisher plane in the backdrop. It was time to try out a smoke. A bit of dilly-dallying and we finally decided to light up. Kneeling inside the bus, we managed to smoke peacefully even as the gun-toting CISF personnel patrolled outside.Four photographers shared the cigarette, but none of us took pictures of each other smoking in the apron area! Clearly the terror trail that runs through Karnataka is yet to make a significant impact in the BIAL airport security measures.
