Amid threat, Nepal assures safe skies

NEW DELHI: A day after India expressed its concern about vulnerability of Indian aircraft at 'not so secure' Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, Nepal on Saturday promised to take all necessary measures to beef up the security there to thwart any attempt of Pakistan-based terrorists make repeat of IC-814 type of hijacking.

The assurance from Nepal came on the day when India itself put its all airports in north-east on high alert in the wake of terror attacks in Assam. Though the alert, an official said, was part of a routine security drill, India raised the issue of airport security with Nepal a day before during the home secretary-level talks here in the backdrop of intelligence inputs that Pak-based terror groups were likely to target India-bound aircrafts originating from Kathmandu.

Briefing reporters on conclusion of the talks on Saturday, Union home secretary Madhukar Gupta said that he had been assured by his Nepalese counterpart Gobinda Prasad Kusum that Kathmandu would "do whatever needed to be done". Gupta said Kusum promised to look into all related issues in this regard and convey New Delhi's concern to the higher authorities in Kathmandu.

Home ministry officials during the talks are learnt to have mentioned as how the "lax security" at Kathmandu Airport had led to hijacking of IA IC-814 aircraft by Pakistani terrorists.

The hijack drama ended on December 31, 1999 with the release of three terrorists including Maulana Masood Azhar. Asked about activities of anti-Indian insurgent groups active in Nepal, Kusum said: "We will not allow our soil to be used for anti-India activities".