Yesterday, a four-foot deep pit was found under the boundary wall of the Hindan Air Base in Ghaziabad, raising serious security concerns that a suspected attempt had been made to dig a tunnel at the strategically important air base at about 10 km from Delhi.
The police reached the spot after locals near the Hindan airbase informed the police. A huge crowd gathered near the spot to see the well that had raised the alarm. An Indian Air Force team has reached the spot and the pit is being filled with mud.
The Hindan Air Base operates under the Western Air Command of the Indian Air Force and is one of the largest and largest air bases in Asia. The Indian Air Force C-17 transport aircraft is at the air base tasked with defending the airspace over Delhi and adjoining areas.
Photos of the pit show it was dug after the base of the thick border wall, which is at least six meters high, was breached. Next to the border wall is an open land with locals living very close to the Hindan Air Base. The Hindan Air Base is surrounded by a dense residential complex.
Anil Kumar, a local resident who lives close to Hindan air base, said, “Many robberies have been reported in the last few days. On December 7, I went to Muzaffarnagar to attend a wedding and a robbery took place in my house after that all the locals called a meeting to discuss the issue. A person named Gopal told us that there was a well under the boundary wall of the air base. My brother and I went to other people's place and informed the police after we discovered this one.”
“A police team immediately reached the spot after receiving information and inspected the area along with Air Force officials. A case has been registered and strict action will be taken against those responsible,” said Deputy Superintendent of Police, Trans Hindan Zone.
Locals claim that several theft and robbery incidents have taken place in the area. “Drug addicts and some anti-social elements are responsible for such incidents,” said a local resident.
The Indian Air Force has not yet responded to the issue, while an IAF team has sealed the pit with mud. A report has been filed with the police.
The air base has been used for forward offensive operations. During the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, MiG-29 fighter jets were deployed at the air base to defend the airspace above the national capital.