To maintain the safety of passengers and tourists, the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) team of the Delhi Police arrested 540 touts, seized 254 vehicles used from their possession, and made 41 preventive detentions so far in 2024.
The police arrested 264 touts, seized 96 vehicles, and made 41 preventive arrests under sections of BNSS in 2023.
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The data released by the police show 373 of the arrested touts belonged to Delhi, 107 to Uttar Pradesh, 32 to Haryana, 11 to Bihar, and several others were from other states mainly Rajasthan, Punjab, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, and Sikkim.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (IGIA) Usha Rangnani said touting at the IGI Airport involves coercing, misguiding, or enticing passengers to use unauthorised services such as taxis, accommodation, or shopping. This practice not only tarnishes the reputation of the airport and the nation but also compromises passenger safety.
They often prey on unsuspecting passengers, particularly at night, posing as pre-paid taxi drivers and offering false promises of cheaper services. These deceptive practices leave passengers vulnerable to harassment, financial exploitation, and safety risks, she added.
Touting at the IGI Airport is prohibited and under the Delhi Prevention of Touting and Malpractices against Tourist Act, the DCP said.
Citing success in the swift action of the police that saved a victim, Rangnani said, In September, a foreign passenger, arriving late at night, was approached by a tout posing as a helpful local. The tout falsely informed the passenger that Delhi was witnessing heavy protests, causing all hotels and public transport to shut down.
Manipulating the passenger’s concerns, the tout and his associates lured him into their trap with promises of alternate arrangements. The passenger was taken to multiple locations, where his credit card was charged Rs. 98,700 under the guise of arranging a private vehicle to Varanasi. Ultimately, he was abandoned on the roadside.
Acting swiftly, the IGI Airport Police registered a complaint and launched a coordinated operation and within 24 hours, the four accused persons were apprehended, and the suspects’ bank accounts were frozen ensuring the recovery of the victim’s hard-earned money, the DCP said.
The action plan to curb such crimes involves, teams, including personnel deployed in plain clothes and uniform, across terminals, arrival areas, and parking zones, collaborations with RAXA (Airport Security Group) and DIAL (Delhi International Airport Limited) which strengthened intelligence-sharing and operational coordination, deployment of round-the-Clock Anti-Touting teams and Intelligence-Driven Actions among others.
