UP carries out anti-hijack exercise

Lucknow, Feb 23 (UNI) In a bid to check the readiness of various outfits involved in case of an emergency, the Uttar Prasdesh government today carried out an anti-hijack exercise at Amausi airport here.

The security staff, including those from Air Traffic Control, cordoned off the 'hijacked' aircraft within four minutes of its landing. ''While the stipulated time is five minutes, we completed the cordon within four minutes,'' said Principal Secretary (Home) Alok Sinha.

The team of negotiators, who were to reach the airport within 30 minutes, were on their job within 28 minutes. The team included Principal Secretary (Home), Joint Director, Intelligence Bureau, Additional Director General ( Intelligence), District Magistrate and SSP, Lucknow and officers of the IAF.

IC 814, the Indian Airlines flight hijacked in December 1999, had flown over Lucknow and since then such security measures were strengthened to deal with similar contingencies.

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