Airport violence: Nine AAI fire and safety officials arrested

KOZHIKODE: Kerala police today arrested nine employees of Airports Authority of India (AAI) in connection with the violent incidents which culminated in the death of a CISF jawan at Karipur airport near here two days ago.

Police said nine Fire and Safety staff of AAI were arrested this afternoon under various IPC sections, including 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), rioting with deadly weapons and assault and preventing public servant from discharging duty.

The accused would be produced before court tomorrow, police said.

Television channels aired a crucial CCTV footage this evening showing a CISF jawan falling on the ground apparently being hit by a bullet. Earlier in the day, a footage had showed AAI staff attacking CISF personnel.

Meanwhile, State DGP T P Senkumar has submitted a report to Union Home Ministry on the violence at the airport on the night of June 10.

"In the ensuing scuffle, a firearm belonging to a CISF personnel went off killing a CISF head-constable while the official who was holding the firearm sustained burn injuries on hand and he is hospitalised. The scuffle continued for some time," an official release said.

The airport was closed for at least six hours after the clash between CISF and fire department officials of AAI following an argument over frisking of some personnel around 9.40 pm on June 10. The flight operations resumed only the next day.

Forensic officials went to the airport yesterday to probe the shooting incident in which CISF jawan Jaipal Yadav was killed.

Meanwhile, ADGP (North Zone) N Shankar Reddy submitted a preliminary report on the violence to Director General of Police.

"A preliminary report on what exactly happened was furnished to DGP," Reddy told PTI.

"Everything is on CCTV," Reddy said when asked who was responsible for the violence and gun shot that followed.

"The incident is involving two central government organisations. We will go by evidence and will follow up with legal procedures," Reddy said.

Meanwhile, AAI employees union today demanded an impartial probe into the incidents.