Kerala: Operations resume at Kozhikode airport after violent clashes; CISF, AAI staff booked

CISF senior commandant Anil Bali said in Kozhikode that they would cooperate with the police probe, which, they expected to be a professional and impartial one.

Flight operations resumed at Kozhikode International airport, where services had been disrupted since Wednesday night following the death of a CISF guard in clashes between CISF and staff of Airport Authority of India.Functioning of the airport was hit following the clashes. After conciliatory talks held by senior officials of Kerala police, the staff of the AAI and CISF agreed to resume duty on Thursday morning, leading to

Functioning of the airport was hit following the clashes. After conciliatory talks held by senior officials of Kerala police, the staff of the AAI and CISF agreed to resume duty on Thursday morning, leading to return of normalcy at the airport.

[related-post]

CISF jawan S S Yadav, 52, died in a firing as the gun of one of the CISF guards went off in a sequel to the clash between CISF men and AAI staff over mandatory security check of the latter before they enter the airport. Three others, including two AAI staff, were injured in the clasges. The incident led to a chaotic situation at the airport. The CISF, which mans the airport security apparatus, chased away the AAI staff. State police forces had to be intervened at the airport to bring the situation under control.

Police said CISF inspector Seetharam Chaudhiri, who was on duty at the ATC gate along with Yadav and another CISF man, had an altercation with AAI staff Aji Kumar over frisking at 10.30 pm. Kumar objected to the frisking, but Chaudhiri insisted. The altercation soon developed into a scuffle and AAI staff, including Thomas, rushed to the spot to join the melee.

Chaudhiri had told the police that he had threatened to fire as the situation went out of control. Initial examination of CCTV footage by police showed that Chaudhiri’s gun went off during the scuffle, leading to the killing of CISF jawan Yadav. He died on the spot as the bullet that hit his chin pierced through the head. Chaudhiri, who also sustained injury, had told the police that the gun went off after AAI staff Thomas had snatched it from him.

Local police have registered a case against the staff of AAI and CISF men.