The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) has beefed up security at VIP lounges in airports across the country after YSR Congress Party president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy was stabbed by a man at the Visakhapatnam airport on Thursday.
Mr. Reddy was allegedly attacked by a restaurant employee inside the VIP lounge while waiting to board a flight to Hyderabad. He has an injury in the arm.
CISF spokesperson Hemendra Singh said this is the first time that such an incident had been reported at an airport in the country.
Stating that employees working with private firms operating inside airports are never frisked before entering the premises, Mr. Singh said the incident happened near the security hold area. Following the incident, CISF personnel posted at airports have been directed to frisk both visitors and staff members entering VIP lounges.
“All persons employed in restaurants inside airports undergo police verification before they are issued an airport entry pass. The accused would have undergone a similar verification check. It was an unfortunate incident,” said Mr. Singh.