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In an incident that has raised eyebrows, the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel at the Mumbai airport recently asked a disabled passenger to take off her salwar for security checks because she had metallic braces on her legs.
The incident comes after a Newsline report on how the Mumbai airport has been receiving at least 10 to 15 complaints every month against CISF personnel from passengers because of their overbearing behaviour.
“I’ve never felt so disgusted and humiliated in my life and it was not the first time I was traveling,” said Shruti Paul, who was on her way to Lucknow on a Kingfisher flight last Friday.
According to Shruti, who is polio-affected, she was wearing a caliper on her left leg from ankle to thigh and braces on her right knee.
“The caliper as well as the braces are made of ceramic or plastic and supported by metal,” she said while explaining the reason why the metal detector would beep every time she passed through it.
On account of limited mobility, Shruti was bound to a wheelchair. The CISF guard, according to Shruti, first checked her left leg and enquired what she was wearing. “I even pulled my salwar up a little to show her my caliper but she asked me to take off my salwar in the women’s cubicle which is open ended,” she said, adding, “I even explained that I was wearing knee braces but they would not listen.”
She said her ordeal lasted about 20 minutes. She was made to get up thrice from her wheelchair and was constantly asked to remove her salwar.
“They said I was not cooperating with them. But I did all I could considering heightened security at airports these days. But I could not take off my salwar. I felt like a criminal,” she said while stating that the woman CISF guard, by the name of P Poonam, kept on talking on her mobile phone while she was conducting checks on her. “She even called her colleague who also insisted that I take off my salwar,” Shruti said.
Eventually a senior CISF officer asked the woman guard to let her go. “He asked me to carry a disability certificate the next time I travel and the woman guard had to let me go half-heartedly,” said Shruti.
CISF Senior Commandant, Mumbai Airport, Sanjay Prakash, was not available for comment despite several attempts by Newsline. “While it is mandatory for every passenger to pass the metal detector, such behaviour is unheard of,” said an airport official.
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The guard was not enjoying and humiliating but she was just doing her job.Who wants to humiliate a disabled person.I think generally all are compassionate towards disabled people.But if sruthi feel it as a humilliation its just like complaining against a doctor for causing the pain u felt while taking an injection.Injection is for curing your illness and security check is for your safty.For a fool proof security system passengers have to bear with the guards.
I do not see any thing wrong with the CISF guards behavior. She was doing her duty to protect the passengers from terrorists. We already know that terrorists constantly try to fool security by wearing burqas, ec.. What if a real terrorist is pretending to be a disabled woman? I am going to bet noone is going to be thrilled if a plane was blown off by a terrorist disguised as a handicapped woman. While it is always necessary to show sensitivity to handicapped people, it is never wise to bend and break rules regardless of the percieved sensibilities. Everyone needs to go through established security procedures, yes this means even handicapped people and politicians.
She should have carried a disbaility certificate. These guys are doing their job, and next time something untoward happens, we will be the first to go after thier necks. I have heard of even more terrible cases at US airports, but the Americans on the whole are thankful that no terror attack has taken place on their soil after 9/11.Please co-operate with the airport security rather than accuse them of misbehaviour. They have an important job at hand...it's like asking our soldiers at the war-front to be more courteous
This type behaviours is not uncommon.I can recall during our trip in Jan at Chennai the guard took cap of water bottle and returned it to my daughter, whilst in the mans check up area there was problems about water bottles.The same can be said of Immigration officers in Chennai.Off the many counties that we visited Chennai Immigration was the only place contested if the person in the phto was same or not.To humilate she was asked tolift her hair . Show her ears as to compare in the photo. To smile same as in the photo etc. The immigartion officer was enjoying this as he was in position of power