Police Diary: Floating balloons not fun around airport, say cops

On January 19, at 4.34 pm, a police officer spotted a large white object rise from the northeast end of the Chatrapati Shivaji International Airport’s domestic terminal. He informed his superior.

“Kuthoon ale?” the senior asked. Where did the balloon come from? “Sir, Parle bajoola.” From the Vile Parle side, the reply said. “Aani ATC?” What about Air Traffic Control. “Naahi” the officer said. No complaint from the ATC. The senior pivoted back to his room. A white balloon minus any identifying marks flew over the airfield and across it, without disturbing airport operations. It was gone in less than eight minutes. “We know that everything straying into the airport is a security risk, but unless the ATC notifies us, we don’t always probe them,” said a senior Mumbai Police officer.

Balloons and Chinese lanterns across Mumbai’s skies are increasingly common and while balloon vendors at the sea-side promenades are suspected to be the culprits, the spottings at the airport have risen sharply in recent times.

“The wind blows here in the west-to-east direction. They come from Juhu, Andheri and Parle. We are on the receiving end, for prevention fails. Most of the balloons have no marks on them, which make it harder to trace their whereabouts,” said the officer, who is attached with the Airport police. Large slum areas around the airport also mean some of the “mischief makers” are simply children in these pockets. But it’s a risk nevertheless. The police have now banned flying of hot air balloons and lanterns. It’s now compulsory to inform the nearest police station before doing so. Failure to comply could attract punitive action under Section 188 of the Indian Penal Code.

“Flying of balloons or even kites poses danger to aircraft as they can easily get ingested in the engines. The risk is higher during take-off, landing and when aircraft fly at low altitudes,” said an officer who is now responsible, among other things, to deploy men to critical points such as the Ghatkopar hillock overlooking the airport and the shanties alongside the taxiways, from where balloons could be released by “miscreants”.
In May 2015, gas-filled balloons caused a security scare in Mumbai when they were spotted over the international terminal of CSIA. Investigators later found that an event management company had released the balloons as a promotional initiative for a cricket match at Kalina cricket ground. More recently, on January 15, the airport police just watched as balloons swayed leisurely past.

“It was a bunch of balloons, more than a 100 of them, from the Milan Subway area. We watched them fly over us and have still not made any arrest in the matter. The ATC informed us and we acted. Around the airport is no place to have fun with balloons, there could be serious consequences. We will try to educate children that this is not fun but a safety hazard,” said Suresh Vedak, assistant commissioner of police (airport division). An anti-terrorist cell staff member of the airport police said seniors citizens have already held sessions in these slums trying to advise children. “We have caught a few children in areas around the airport releasing balloons but we cannot arrest them because of their age. We get parents saying ‘Sir galti ho gayi, bacchcha hain’. We do have to oblige, mostly,” the officer said.

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