Indian airports beef up security

After foiled terror attempts and security threat at Heathrow airport, Indian security personnel have stepped up vigilance at the country's airports in the run-up to Independence Day.

Sources in the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), in charge of airport security, say security has been a concern since August 7 when they received warnings of threat to airports.

The number of CISF personnel at 54 airports in the country would also be increased. Assistance has been sought from the para-military forces as well.

"We have received inputs that in the run-up to August 15, there may be certain incidents, not just in the bigger airports in Delhi and Mumbai but also others in Chennai, Bangalore and Hyderabad," said a CISF official.

However, flight are operating as scheduled. All British Airway's flights to India are also operating normally, except for some minor delays due to increased security check in London.

"Flight AI-112 on the New York-London-Delhi-Mumbai sector, which arrived at Heathrow airport in the morning, is expected to depart from London after a 5-6 hours delay due to restriction on carriage of hand baggage on board. Hand baggage of passengers have been checked in for carriage in the cargo hold," an Air India spokesman said.

"We have started manual checking of luggage. Car and scooter parking lots are also under scrutiny," a CISF official said.

The Delhi police too is tightening security on Independence Day with the Red Fort being sanitised and sealed before Prime Minister Manmohan Singh can unfurl the tricolour on its ramparts.

Nearly 500 Delhi police personnel and commandos will form a second ring of security around the Prime Minister on August 15.

According to home ministry officials, not just Pakistani and Bangladeshi modules, but also ULFA, Maoists and Naxal activists are expected to forment trouble in the run up to the day.