LONDON: A bomb scare at Gatwick shortly before President Ramaswamy Venkataraman plane landed at this suburban airport, about 80 km from London, marred the arrival ceremonies and the President’s route to Buckingham palace was changed to avoid any security risk.
Venkataraman and his entourage drove straight to Buckingham Palace and all traditional ceremonies at historic Victoria Railway terminal 20 minutes before the Air India Jumbo was scheduled to arrive from Lisbon.
The bomb disposal squad was summoned and the Gatwick railway terminal and adjoining roads were cordoned off the explosive experts gave an all clear after a 45 minute operation but not before the arrival of the Indian President, according an east Sussex police spokesman.
All investigations regarding the Gatwick incident had been completed and the president was attending all his engagements as per schedule the spokesman said.
Security had been tightened and a special watch is being kept on some Sikhs and Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front men informed sources said.
Last month a group had “‘jostled” the new Indian high commissioner Kuldip Nayar when he visited a South all Sikh temple. Nayar and his wife Bharati were rescued by their British security guard and returned home unhurt.
The British police authorities have since then cautioned the Indian High Commission with regard Nayar’s security and asked to be kept with the high commissioner’s travel plans.
Article extracted from this publication >> April 13, 1990
