CISF takes over security of Srinagar, Jammu airports after Davinder Singh fiasco

The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) on Wednesday took over the security of Jammu and Srinagar airports from the Jammu and Kashmir Police. All police personnel of J&K police has been sent to their parent zone with immediate effect.

As per an order issued by Additional Director General of Police, S.J.M Geelani, all the police personnel of executive and armed wings posted at these airports are transferred to their respective wings and parent departments.

Moreover, all the gazette officers posted at these airports have been asked to report to J&K police HQ. Going forward commandants of the CISF who will be SP-rank officers will be heading the airports' security arrangements. Till now an SP-rank officer headed the police security team.

Former Deputy SP Devinder Singh's arrest hastened the process

As per a report in the Print, the CISF takeover was overdue for a long time but the move was hastened is a suspended deputy superintendent of police Davinder Singh was arrested for ferrying two militants, including a top Hizbul Mujahideen commander out of the valley.

The process was getting delayed due to the insistence by J&K police on keeping their personnel posted on the two airports. One of the CISF officials added, "The induction order is yet to be received but we have been directed to take over the airports today (Wednesday). More will be made known once the takeover is complete."

Besides, the J&K police also insisted on including local police officials in the security set-up of Srinagar and Jammu airports. "The takeover never took off (until now) as the J&K government also believed that local components are extremely important for airports like in Srinagar and Jammu, owing to the law and order situation here," added another police official.

In a shocking turn of events, former Dy. SP Davinder Singh was arrested while he was accompanying two Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists from Srinagar to New Delhi.

His arrest sent shock waves among the security establishments as he was posted at the Srinagar international airport and was part of the J&K Police's anti-hijacking unit. Singh was even a part of the team that received the delegation of foreign dignitaries that was visiting Kashmir.