Centre provides CRPF 'X' category security to AAIB chief probing Air India crash

The Centre has deployed 'X' category security cover by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) for GVG Yugandhar, the Director General of the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), who is leading the high-profile probe into the devastating Air India Flight 171 crash in Ahmedabad. This decision comes after a threat review by intelligence agencies highlighted potential risks to his safety, necessitating round-the-clock protection.

Under the 'X' category security, at least two CRPF commandos will guard the AAIB chief across the country. While the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has issued orders based on these intelligence inputs, the government has yet to release an official statement detailing the specific nature of the threat against Yugandhar. The heightened security underscores the sensitive and critical nature of the ongoing investigation into the June 12 crash, which claimed at least 260 lives.

The investigation into the Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner crash is a multi-agency effort. The crash site has already been inspected by officials from the National Investigation Agency (NIA), National Security Guards (NSG), and the Gujarat Anti-Terror Squad (ATS). In a related development, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) is also expected to join the investigation as an "observer." India has reportedly approved ICAO's request to have one of its investigators present, a move that is considered unusual in such probes and highlights the global interest in understanding the accident.

The AAIB's multidisciplinary team, headed by GVG Yugandhar, has already begun analyzing data from the aircraft's Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) and Flight Data Recorder (FDR), commonly known as black boxes, to reconstruct the events leading to the crash. The provision of security for the AAIB chief signals the government's commitment to ensuring the integrity and impartiality of the investigation, free from any external pressures or threats.