India Increases Sky Marshals on Flights
In response to a rise in threats to flights, the Indian government has decided to double the number of sky marshals on flights from airports across the country. A senior official from the Ministry of Home Affairs confirmed this decision, which was made after assessing the growing threat and receiving intelligence inputs.
Deployment on Sensitive Routes
The new batch of air marshals will be deployed on international routes deemed sensitive based on intelligence reports. This decision followed several meetings with aviation security stakeholders. The National Security Guard, specializing in anti-terror and anti-hijacking, provides air marshals for these routes.
Role of Sky Marshals
Sky marshals are armed security officers in plain clothes who travel on passenger aircraft to prevent hijackings. They were introduced in India in 1999 after the Air India IC 814 hijacking. Sky marshals carry loaded firearms and can act to prevent hijackings.
High-Level Security Meetings
Following over 10 bomb threats on social media, the Ministry of Civil Aviation held a high-level meeting. Minister Ram Mohan Naidu met with the Bureau of Civil Aviation, CISF, and other officials to address these threats.
Doubts Revealed
Sky Marshals -: Sky marshals are special police officers who travel on airplanes to keep passengers safe. They carry weapons and are trained to stop bad people from taking over the plane.
Ministry of Home Affairs -: The Ministry of Home Affairs is a part of the Indian government that looks after the country’s internal security. They make sure everyone in India is safe from threats inside the country.
Aviation Security Stakeholders -: Aviation security stakeholders are people or groups who are involved in keeping airplanes and airports safe. This includes airlines, airport authorities, and security agencies.
Intelligence Assessments -: Intelligence assessments are reports made by security experts about possible dangers or threats. They help the government decide how to keep people safe.
Ministry of Civil Aviation -: The Ministry of Civil Aviation is a part of the Indian government that manages everything related to flying, like airports and airlines. They make sure flying is safe and efficient.
Bomb Threats -: Bomb threats are warnings or messages that say a bomb might be placed somewhere. They are taken very seriously to ensure everyone’s safety.