CISF averts knife attack at Bengaluru airport; accused held

BENGALURU: Following the high alert issued after the Delhi blast , Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel at Kempegowda International Airport averted a knife attack late on Sunday night. On November 16, around 11:59 pm, a man later identified as Sohail Ahmed was seen running toward two taxi drivers with a machete near the arrival lane of Terminal 1. Assistant Sub Inspector/Executive (ASI/Exe) Sunil Kumar, along with two on-duty CISF personnel, on noticing the incident, quickly intervened, overpowered the attacker, and secured the weapon without allowing any harm to the public, sources told the TNIE . A preliminary inquiry revealed that Ahmed and the targeted individuals, taxi drivers Jagdish JR and Renu Kumar, knew each other. During interrogation, the accused told CISF that he was assaulted by Jagdish along with two drivers, Renu Kumar and Gangadhar Angadi, on the previous night. Ahmed returned armed to attack the duo in what appears to be an act of retaliation, the sources said. The accused, along with the seized weapon and the other involved parties, were immediately handed over to the KIA Police Station for further legal action. The CISF at KIA, headed by Commandant Ravi Kumar Sharma, is on high alert after the Delhi terror blast on November 10. The prompt action on Sunday night reflected its commitment to ensuring the safety and security of passengers, airport personnel, and critical aviation infrastructure at KIA.