BHUBANESWAR: Security concerns were thrown to the wind at the Biju Patnaik Airport on Thursday evening when Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik arrived here to a rousing welcome. Hundreds of supporters of the ruling BJD invaded the airport arena even as party leaders did not give a damn to the restricted areas.Passengers and their kin had a harrowing time as they had to walk long distances. Those, who were to board flights, had to park their vehicles almost near the Airport Square and walk with their luggage in tow since hundreds of supporters had already assembled and acquired the road right till the airport. If that was the ordeal for passengers who were to board flights, those alighting from the Air India flight, in which Naveen travelled, had to suffer more. As thousands of supporters took over the airport area, there was no exit route for the passengers who arrived.The Air India flight reached at 7.05 pm and the VIP exit to Naveen Nivas, which is a five-minute drive, took more than an hour and a half for the CM to cover. Union Coal Minister Sriprakash Jaiswal, who travelled by the same flight, had to cool his heels in the VIP restroom as the chaos unfolded.The Commissionerate Police watched like mute spectators although such a scenario was very much expected. Instead of managing the crowd at a fair distance, police allowed everyone inside aiding the mess. When Naveen arrived and supporters turn frenzied, the police tried to force out photo journalists in their bid to ease pressure.The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), which guards the airport, had no clue as hundreds of supporters made their way into the arrival zone with scant respect for the security. The chaos was compounded by the over-enthusiastic leaders of the BJD. Pipili legislator Pradeep Maharathi even drove right into the VIP exit without caring for the restrictions. Others of his party just followed.
Comments
0 comment