VASCO: The policemen attached to the Dabolim airport police station have complained of severe hardships and harassment by the Airport Authority of India (AAI) and the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) while entering the airport.
According to Dabolim airport PI Brutano Peixeto, the airport falls under the jurisdiction of the Dabolim police station, but the CISF personnel deployed at the main entrance do not allow his policemen to enter and demand an entry pass from them.
“This is something that irritates our policemen as every time they visit the airport either to attend to some cases or during VIP or VVIP movement at the airport, they are asked to show entry pass. Firstly, we are forced to work in congested premises, that too without facilities, despite AAI having ample vacant space in its old terminal building. The trouble gets added when CISF officials manning the main gates of the terminal building deny entry to our policemen, even if the policemen are in uniform. This issue has been pending for several months and the matter has already been reported to the senior officials,” said Peixeto.
He continued, “Whenever we made representations before AAI seeking additional space and dedicated toilet facilities, the AAI officials said that they cannot afford to give additional space to police and even suggested that we use the public toilet. Even worse was when the AAI director orally told me that there is no need for a police station at the airport and AAI can manage with the outpost services like those provided by the Vasco Police, which embarrasses us even more.”
