Kolkata: Commandos stormed an aircraft, overpowered two hijackers and freed 25 passengers and the crew in an hour-long operation at Kolkata airport. Although the hijacking of the flight from Raipur to Guwahati and the anti-hijacking operation was an enactment for a drill to check Kolkata airport's preparedness, the response was real.An ATC message at 10.30 am about a hijack on board Flight ABC of airline XYZ led to airport director Pravat Ranjan Beuria convening the aerodrome committee meeting. While state home secretary Nandini Chakravorty joined in person, others who attended included officers from IB, NSG, Eastern Command and Fort William, CISF, Bidhannagar Police Commissionerate, and key AAI officials. Two-hundred people participated in the exercise."Captained by a woman pilot, the plane landed at the airport at 10.45 am. It was taken to the isolation bay, where commandos surrounded it. A control room was activated, contact was established with the two hijackers, and negotiations commenced. Officials were outside to brief the media and take care of friends and relatives of passengers held hostage," said an official. An IndiGo passenger coach was used as a mock plane.

Even as the negotiation was underway, a passenger fell ill. The negotiator at the control room managed to convince the terrorists to release the passenger for medical treatment. Once they agreed, an ambulance moved in with commandos posing as medical staff and overpowered the two hijackers. After the passengers were freed, the operation was called off at 11.15 am.Sources said observers were strategically placed around the exercise site to check the response of various agencies to the emergency.

A few deficiencies were also noted that will be addressed before the next exercise around six months later. "The simulated exercise was conducted at the airport to test and improve the response capabilities of various security agencies and stakeholders in case a plane is hijacked.

The drill simulated real-world scenarios, allowing for the evaluation of response times, communication protocols, and tactical strategies.

Measures taken during any eventuality of hijacking were deliberated in a subsequent meeting," an official said.A security agency officer said such drills helped familiarise participants with the SOP. "The drills facilitate better coordination and communication between different agencies, ensuring a unified response. The drill helps identify and address the weakness in the existing security measures. Regular drills contribute to a more robust and vigilant security system, enhancing the safety of flyers and airport staff," he said.The airfield environment management committee was also chaired by the state home secretary, in which multiple issues, including garbage clearance, threat of bird strikes, laser interference in aircraft cockpits, drone activities and drainage issues ahead of the monsoon, were discussed.