The British citizen who was to be deported to London successfully escaped the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport in Delhi last week by sneaking past the immigration, and disappearing into the city. The event has cast grave doubt on the airport security and security lapses in one of the busiest airports of India.
British Citizen Escapes from Delhi’s IGI Airport
The fugitive who was named Fitz Patrick was on his way to London via a layover in New Delhi after travelling to Bangkok. On 28 October he landed in the capital, but, at the same time he was going through the immigration process, managed to sneak out of the special zone and evaded various levels of security. The foreigner, according to the sources of police, escaped the security checks and ran out of the airport.
Since then, a huge search has been undertaken in order to trace the lost UK national. Delhi Police, Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) that is in charge of airport security, and the Bureau of Immigration are collaborating to find him.
It is now being investigated by the authorities how Patrick was able to get through security at such a highly secured facility.
Delhi Airport Security Under Fire
The twin events that happened in the Delhi Indira Gandhi International Airport involved a security failure by the authorities who reported that a British national who had been scheduled to be deported to the UK through Thailand had broken out of the immigration section and entered the city. Security agencies and the Delhi police have initiated a search and an FIR has been filed as the airline personnel are being interrogated, a senior police officer said.
First Information Report (FIR) has been filed and the airline employees involved are being questioned to know whether any negligence or lapse of procedure was involved.
In the meantime, the police are processing the CCTV footage of the airport to trace the escape of the fugitive and determine the chronological order of events that had resulted in his escape.
According to officials, there is a concerted effort between the CISF, the Bureau of Immigration, and the Delhi Police to find the deportee. Various teams have been positioned throughout the city and in the surrounding neighborhood.
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