600 CISF commandos take over security of Kannur airport in Kerala
New Delhi, Oct 17: The CISF Wednesday took over the security of the yet-to-be operational Kannur International Airport (KIAL), the largest civil air facility in Kerala, with the deployment of over 600 armed commandos, a senior official said.
This is the 61st civil airport in the country that has come under the cover of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) after the Union Home Ministry accorded manpower sanction for the purpose.
The CISF unit will be headed by a Commandant rank officer and the airport, spread over 2,330 acres with a runway length of 3,050 metres, will be operational from the first week of December.
KIAL is about 20-km from the popular tourist town of Kannur and will have common departure and visitor gates for international and domestic passengers and also a common check-in-area.
Kerala has three other major airports at Kochi, Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram.
"KIAL would be the first airport in India which would dispense with stamping of hand baggage from day one of its operations due to the surveillance systems in place," CISF spokesperson Assistant Inspector General (AIG) Hemendra Singh said.
The CISF is a federal security force which guards strategic installations including airports in the country. It has a special aviation security group for rendering this task.
The security at the airport would be similar to what is seen at 60 other civil airports, the CISF said, adding that quick reaction commando teams and other personnel would be deployed at KIAL to thwart incidents of terror and sabotage.
"In the light of the increased threat perception to the aviation sector across the country, security of KIAL is of utmost importance as thousands of tourists including foreigners will visit Kerala through this airport," Singh said.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Karnataka govt revokes suspension of DGP Ramachandra Rao, reinstates him
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka government on Wednesday revoked the suspension order of DGP K Ramachandra Rao and reinstated him into service with immediate effect.
According to the official order, the 1993-batch IPS officer has been posted, with immediate effect and until further orders, as Director General of Police (Police Manual).
"The post of Director General of Police (Police Manual) is declared equivalent in status and responsibilities to the cadre post of Director General of Police, Criminal Investigation Department, Special Units and Economic Offences, Bengaluru, under Rule 12 of the IPS (Pay) Rules, 2016, as included in Schedule II of the said rules," the government order stated.
Rao, who was then serving as Director General of Police (Civil Rights Enforcement), was placed under suspension with immediate effect on January 19, citing conduct unbecoming of a government servant and causing embarrassment to the state administration.
News channels had beamed videos purportedly showing Rao in a compromising position with women. The videos had also gone viral on social media.
Rao is the stepfather of Kannada actress Harshavardhini Ranya, alias Ranya Rao, who is accused of orchestrating the illegal import of gold worth over Rs 12.56 crore from Dubai to India along with two others--businessman Tarun Raju and jewellery dealer Sahil Jain.
Ranya was apprehended at Bengaluru's Kempegowda International Airport on March 3, 2025, with 14.8 kilograms of gold allegedly smuggled from Dubai.
