Mangalore, Oct 26 (DHNS): News of an aeroplane hijacked from Mangalore Airport and later released after negotiation by the Airport Authority and the Police made rounds in the city on Monday evening. 

 While people started getting jittery with the news, a state visual media flashed the incident as breaking news, adding to the confusion.

However, it was later learnt that the mock exercise carried out jointly by the Airport Authority of India, the police and the Central Industrial Security Force at the airport premises, Bajpe was the cause for the confusion. Speaking to Deccan Herald, Mangalore Airport Director M R Vasudeva said that it was mock exercise carried out to check the efficiency of the security mechanism in the airport.

“The Aerodrome Committee, which is headed by the Deputy Commissioner, held a meeting to discuss about our preparedness. Later, the mock exercise was carried out, where the airport authority, police and CISF ‘released’ a ‘hijacked plane’ through negotiation with hijackers,” Vasudeva added.