Kochi: All the three airports in Kerala, at Kochi, Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram, were on a high alert in the wake of intelligence inputs about possible terrorist attacks, officials said.

"Security has been tightened. At present, 288 personnel of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) are manning the airports round-the-clock. Four terminal marshals, who are sharpshooters, are also moving around the two terminal buildings of the airport in plain clothes," Director of Cochin International Airport Ltd (CIAL) A.C.K. Nair said.

"Security has also been tightened in view of the Independence day celebrations. All vehicles and passengers arriving at the Kochi airport, the biggest in the State, are under surveillance," CISF Commandant K.C. Suresh Kumar said. Passengers are being frisked and hand baggage manually checked, he added.

Earlier, only random checks on hand baggage were being carried out.

The car parking area, which can house about 1,000 cars at a time, was also under surveillance. — PTI

Scene at capital

S. Anil Radhakrishnan adds from Thiruvananthapuram: Security has been stepped up in Thiruvananthapuram International Airport.

Authorities have decided to intensify security arrangements to strictly comply with the three-tier frisking.

All hand baggage, mobile phones and laptops were being screened before being allowed inside flights.

CISF personnel would be deployed in plainclothes outside the airport terminals to monitor the movement of those who arrive at the airport along with passengers.

The security on the city side has been stepped up. Kerala police have been asked to set up temporary barricades on the approach roads to the airport to screen vehicles.

The police have also been asked to deploy dog squads at the airport during the peak hours — 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

A meeting of the Special Security Committee chaired by the Airport Director (acting) T.E. Ramgopal reviewed security arrangements on Friday.

A top Airports Authority of India (AAI) official said the operating airlines have been asked to advice passengers to keep the hand baggage to the minimum in view of the alert. Passengers have also been asked to check-in three hours before departure to avoid delay in completing formalities.

Mr. Ramgopal also held discussions with Director General of Police Raman Srivastava and Additional Director General of Police (Intelligence) Jacob Punnose and other officials about enhancing security measures.

Entry to the visitors' gallery had been banned from July 14 on the basis of the directive from the Union Government following the serial blasts in Mumbai. AAI authorities had earlier restricted the entry of visitors to the gallery in the domestic terminal citing lack of space.

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