JOIN USScreening and security checks at Airport are for human beings but the bison, which had a day out at Mangalore Airport’s runway, was above these checks.
On Thursday morning, a bison showed up at the runway and the bovine is said to have had a leisurely stroll along the runway for minutes, not just causing a sort of panic but also raising a question as to how did it manage to gain entry into a highly restricted area like the runway.
The first flight arrived at the airport at 6.45 am and when preparations were on to make the runway ready for this flight from Dubai, the staff spotted the bison on the runway. It was there on the runway for five minutes.
The staff members immediately informed Forest officials and Pilikula Niargadhama. When the bison sensed human beings around, it tried to go back to the place it came from.
When the forest officials and staff from Pilikula Nisargadhama visited the spot with tranquilisers, the bison was still in the Airport premises. When attempts were made to shoot tranquiliser shot, the bison was raged and in the melee, Nisargadhama Scientific Officer Vikram Lobo suffered injuries. The petrified bison fled the scene and the efforts to capture the bison thus went in vain.
Security lapse
The Airport is under the scanner of Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and despite this, the entry of the bison is being looked at as a security lapse. The question that has been raised now is that how did the security personnel manage to make unseen a bison of over 400 kgs.
The table top runway of Mangalore is surrounded with valleys and forest area and there are possibilities of the bison entering the runway from Adyapady area.
However, speaking to Deccan Herald, Airport Director M R Vasudeva said that the entry of bison on runway cannot be tagged as security lapse. “Before landing of the plane, the runway is checked and only then the signal for landing is given,” he said adding that the airport has 9.5 ft high compound wall all around it, following the guidelines of Directorate of Civil Aviation. However, an animal like bison can jump over 11 feet.
“The animal must have jumped over the wall to and gained entry into the premises,” Vasudeva said.
It may be recalled that last year a flock of peacocks had taken to the runway.