A bomb threat mock exercise was conducted at the Chandigarh Airport on Thursday to check the level of preparedness of different agencies, including the administration, police, medical and fire agencies apart from the internal agencies working at the Airport. The entire process lasted for nearly an hour.

Around 8.55 am, the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) Control Room received a call intimating them of a bomb placed in the terminal building. The message was then passed to the Bomb Threat Assessment Committee (BTAC), which termed it a ‘specific call’ after completing the requisite procedure.

All the concerned responding agencies were then alerted by the CISF Control Room about the threat.

“The agencies that were alerted include the UT Administration, local police, bomb detection and disposal squad (BDDS) Chandigarh Police, Air Force, city fire services, Intelligence services apart from all the agencies working at the Airport. Simultaneously, an announcement was also made on the public announcement system about the bomb threat and everybody present in the Terminal Building and Airside was asked to evacuate the area and move to a safe distance,” said Airport Director Sunil Dutt.

Those evacuated from the building assembled at a pre-designated point — Evacuees Point — located in the parking area. In the meantime, the quick reaction team (QRT) of the ASG located the ‘bomb’ in the arrival hall of the terminal building and carried out the requisite drill.

The different agencies that were alerted reached the “Reporting Point”. The UT police SHO Police Station, Sector 31, reported along with a team to maintain the law and order situation and regulate traffic.

The GMSH set up a “First Aid Point” at the Airport to attend to the injured. The BDDS Team of the UT Police immediately began the detection process in the terminal building as soon as it reached the site. They also reached the spot for defusing the ‘bomb’.