The Hindu : Row over frisking of woman Customs officer

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jan 23, 2004

New Delhi

New Delhi

Row over frisking of woman Customs officer

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, JAN. 22. Insistence by a Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) security guard on frisking a woman Customs officer at Indira Gandhi International Airport here led to an ugly spat between the two agencies today. Later, with the intervention of senior officers from both agencies, the matter was sorted out. It has now been decided that no Customs officer in uniform would be frisked.

The drama began around 9 a.m. when a woman inspector of the Customs Department reached the airport for her shift. She was stopped by a CISF guard at the trolley gate near the arrival lounge. He insisted that the officer allow herself to be searched.

Meanwhile, the woman officer reportedly insisted on being checked by a female staff. The CISF, however, claimed that the guard had asked the woman official to produce her identity card. They argued that they were not willing to leaving anything to chance in the run-up to the Republic Day celebrations as the terrorists could attack in any form. A heated argument ensued between the personnel of the two agencies. The two sides reportedly came close to fisticuffs and the work at the entrance was hampered.

Following the row, both sides got a complaint lodged with the airport police. While the inspector alleged that she was molested by the security guard, the CISF guard claimed that the woman was trying to snatch his weapon.

Taking a serious note of the incident, the Customs Commissioner and the Inspector-General (North Range) met and sorted out the matter. Following the meeting it has now been decided that Customs officers in uniform, male or female, would not be searched. Both the agencies also decided to withdraw the complaint.

A similar incident had occurred on Wednesday after which the Customs Department had stopped work for a while. However, the officials did not take the matter seriously.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

New Delhi