A man scaled the perimeter wall of the Delhi airport and reached the runway before being apprehended, in a serious security breach during a high alert in the national capital due to the ongoing Republic Day celebrations, official sources said Sunday.
The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), responsible for securing the "hypersensitive" Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport, has suspended a head constable on charges of dereliction of duty.
The intruder, who was found to be intoxicated, was first spotted on the runway by the pilot of an Air India flight around 11:30 pm on Saturday, they said.
The pilot informed the Air Traffic Control (ATC) which directed the CISF to pursue the intruder.
The man hailing from Haryana was apprehended by Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel and handed over to the Delhi Police, they said.
The paramilitary force launched an inquiry into the serious security breach at the "hypersensitive" civil aviation facility and has suspended a head constable who was on duty that day, the sources told PTI.
The "alarming" incident came during the high-alert sounded by security agencies for the ongoing Republic Day celebrations with special measures to check sabotage activities in view of the extreme cold weather and accompanying fog, a senior officer said.
Republic Day celebrations will culminate with the Beating Retreat ceremony on Monday.
The CISF provides a counter-terrorist security cover to the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport and is responsible for securing its perimeter wall too.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
Featured Video Of The Day
PM Modi, President Murmu Pay Tribute To Ex PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee
Delhi Airport Becomes 1st To Achieve Net Zero Carbon Emission Status "Wait Time 256 Minutes": Edelweiss' Radhika Gupta Caught In Delhi Airport Chaos, Shares Video "Checks Will Be Heightened": IndiGo's Advisory Ahead Of Independence Day How Extreme Weather Is Leading To Rise In Child Marriages In Pakistan 3 Days After Big Order On Deposits With SBI And PNB, Karnataka Hits Pause Monkeypox Cases Rising: How Worried Should You Be - 10 Points "Too Many Dead": Gaza Undertakers Stacking "Graves On Top Of Graves" Musk's X Ordered To Pay Rs 5 Crore To Former Employee Over Unfair Dismissal UK To Fund Master's Scholarships For Uttarakhand Students Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.