CISF personnel learn to be flyer-friendly

Following DNA’s report in October on dancer-actress Sudha Chandran being harassed and made to remove her artifical leg for security scanning by the CISF personnel at the Mumbai airport, the authorities seem to be trying to become passenger-friendly.

CISF personnel  are being trained on how to deal with passengers in a “more gentle way”, especially the disabled. The workshops are being held in groups from the top to lower rank, sources said.

Around 3,000 CISF officials are posted at the city airport.

“There have been several instances of flyers complaining about rude CISF personnel. Hence, we are taking this effort to make the CISF personnel more gentle in their dealings with passengers without compromising on security,” said an airport official.

Last year, Mumbai-based disabled stock market analyst Samir Javeri, 39, had complained about the harassment by the CISF at the Delhi airport to the ministry of social justice and empowerment. The ministry issued a notice to the CISF, which, asked its personnel to treat disabled flyers in a dignified manner.

A few days later, Chandra alleged similar harassment at the Mumbai airport. She claimed she was  asked to remove her artificial limbs for security scanning, though she had all the required documents verifying her disability.