Hijack 'episode', a call to beef up security

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, DEC. 31. While there were welcome signs of relief over the end to the eight-day-long hijack drama and safe return of hostages to the Capital tonight, security experts felt the ``episode'' served as a wake-up call to India to embark upon a total rethinking in its strategy towards tackling terrorism and plugging loopholes in the country's security management system.

The former Director-General of Police, Punjab, Mr. K.P.S. Gill, who had successfully handled a hijack, described the release of three hardcore militants as a ``setback'' in the fight against terrorism.

Without going into specific details, Mr. Gill told The Hinduthat there was an urgent need for rethinking the strategy on tackling militancy and terrorism. Mr. Gill was firmly opposed to the idea of accepting the hijackers' demand for the release of Maulana Azhar and other militants but said there could be ``no hard and fast rules'' in a human situation.

In the opinion of the ``supercop'', options had closed after the Indian Airlines plane had taken off from Amritsar airport and parked itself in Kandahar in Afghanistan.

Describing the agreement with the hijackers as ``best of the bad bargain'', Mr. T.V. Rajeshwar, a former chief of the Intelligence Bureau and a former Governor, said that exchanges of this type had taken place in West Asia and Europe.

However, he cautioned that the hijack episode had given some very important long-term lessons to India on security management. In his view, security at various levels was often lax and implementations of various drills remained on paper.

Mr. Rajeshwar said that security at airports and vital installations should be tightened and in hijack-prone sectors security check should be introduced just before passengers embark the aircraft.

Referring to the release of the militants in exchange of safe return of hostages, he said it was sure to boost morale of militants in Jammu and Kashmir.

Mr. Rajeshwar said that India could not do much under the present circumstances as the hijacked plane was taken to Kandahar. He said that Taliban administration in Afghanistan should book the hijackers for the crimes committed by them but added that he would not be surprised if the hijackers and the freed militants were allowed to go to Pakistan.

Meanwhile, Union Home Ministry tonight advised all the State Governments to observe ``perfect security drill'' at all domestic and international airports. According to the official spokesman of the Ministry, the States have been asked to tighten the security network in the civil aviation sector as subversive groups may try to take advantage of ``security loopholes.''

The Home Ministry has also advised the States to heighten vigil in busy urban areas and keep an eye on all situations that can cause serious law and order problems. States have been advised to keep a special watch on vital installations, market places, important hotels and other venues where new year celebrations are taking place.

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