Security has been enhanced at the Tiruchi international airport in view of Sri Lankan President Maithiripala Sirisena’s imending transit halt at the airport on Monday.

Sirisena will arrive in Tiruchi around 1.45 p.m. by an Air India chartered flight from Goa where he had come to attend the BRICS- BIMSTEC outreach summit.

Sirisena will be accompanied by a 25-member high-level delegation from Goa on board the special flight.

Upon arrival, the visiting President would be given a red carpet welcome as per protocol and he would be received by Collector K.S. Palanisamy and other top officials.

Police sources said Sirisena will be taken in a bullet-proof car to the terminal building where he would be staying for nearly two hours in the VIP lounge.

He will leave for Colombo by a Sri Lankan Airlines flight from here at around 3.30 p.m. accompanied by his entourage.

Anti-sabotage teams have already been deployed inside the airport and at vantage points. Separate teams to mount surveillance would be deployed. Security would be augmented on Monday to check vehicles at the entry gate of the airport, which is guarded round-the-clock by Central Industrial Security Force personnel.

The check post near airport would be strengthened and an additional check post would be set up.

A coordination meeting convened by Collector K.S. Palanisamy on Sunday was attended by senior officials of city police, intelligence, CISF and other agencies.

(The Hindu)