Senior IPS officer, Mr. Amrit Mohan Prasad, who is the incumbent Director-General of the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), was mandated to take additional charge as the Chief of the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS). This follows the retirement of the previous DG, IPS Zulfiquar Hasan (1988-batch West Bengal cadre officer), on October 31st.
A senior official clarified, “A permanent BCAS chief has not yet been appointed. Prasad will serve in the interim.“
Mr. Amrit Mohan Prasad, a 1989-batch IPS officer from the Odisha cadre, had earlier served as the Special Director General of the Central Police Reserve Force (CRPF).
Aviation industry insiders are urging for a timely appointment of a full-time BCAS chief, especially in light of a series of hoax threats that have emerged since early October. These threats have significantly impacted hundreds of flights operated by Indian carriers. While authorities have managed to minimize diversions, flight delays related to these threats are disrupting airlines’ schedules. Each hoax message necessitates thorough inspections of the aircraft, leading to further delays. The government is implementing a multi-faceted strategy to address this ongoing issue.
