The claims of innocence by the personnel of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) in the violent incidents of Wednesday night at Kozhikode International Airport in which a CISF head constable died of gunshot have collapsed with the Kerala Police getting crucial evidences for their role in the clashes from the CCTV recordings for the day from the airport and other sources.
A Kerala Police official said over 25 CISF men had been booked for vandalism at the airport and destruction of public property. The nine AAI personnel arrested the other day in connection with the clashes and killing of CISF man SS Yadav were on Saturday produced before a court in Manjeri in Malappuram district, which remanded them in judicial custody till June 27.
Sources in the police probing the clash between CISF personnel and the staff of the Fire and Rescue wing of the Airports Authority of India (AAI) said CISF Sub Inspector Sitaram Chowdhury, whose service pistol was responsible for the death of head constable SS Yadav, had been named as an accused on the charge of culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
The Kozhikode airport at Karippur in Malappuram district had witnessed violent clashes on Wednesday night between personnel of the CISF and AAI Fire and Rescue wing which forced an eight-hour shutdown of the airport. The clashes were triggered by an altercation over the manner in which the CISF soldiers frisked a Fire and Rescue official.
The CISF authorities have, on the basis of an internal report, decided to transfer a large number of personnel, who were found to have direct involvement in the vandalism at the airport, to Bangalore. Sources in the police said that the CISF personnel, duty-bound to ensure the airport’s security, had acted like street goons in their rage after the death of one of their colleagues.
The police have got information that the CISF soldiers had used their walkie-talkies to mobilize men to fight the AAI personnel. The investigators have asked the CISF to hand over the records of walkie-talkie usage for the particular day. Investigators have also found that even men taking rest in the barracks were called by their colleagues to help them counter the AAI men.
The police have rejected CISF inspector Chowdhury’s claim that head constable Yadav was killed by an AAI staffer who had opened fire after snatching away his service pistol on the basis of the visuals found on the CCTV clippings. The clippings had shown Chowdhury walking around with pistol in hand even after Yadav had fallen dead.
Moreover, forensic analysis also established that the gun had been in Chowdhury’s possession when it had gone off. The police waiting for the ballistic analysis result for final confirmation. However, it remained a mystery how Chowdhury had suffered gunshot injury in his left hand. He could be arrested once he is out of the hospital where he is undergoing treatment.
The CCTV footage clearly showed that Chowdhury was actively involved in the fracas at the VIIP gate where the altercation between CISF and AAI personnel had taken place over the issue of security frisking. However, he reiterated even on Saturday that he as innocent, that he had not opened fire and that it was the AAI men who had fired it after snatching it away from him.
Meanwhile, reports from Delhi quoted Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju as assuring action against those responsible for the clashes in Kozhikode airport. He said the CISF men should remember that providing security to airports was not child’s play.