New Delhi: Intelligence agencies have warned a "human bomb" could attempt to hijack a plane in the country, prompting security forces to seek body scanners, an official said on Friday.
"There is a real possibility of a terrorist inserting RDX or plastic explosives or even a knife into his skin," said a top official of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), which protects 54 airports.
Intelligence agencies have also warned that airports and dockyards were "targets number one" for militants.
The CISF has asked the government to allow installation of human body scanners at 16 "hypersensitive" airports.
"Traditional scanners cannot look under the skin, so we have decided to go for body scanners," he said.
These scanners use advanced X-Ray technology to draw a skeletal image of a human body and are considered to be a "fool-proof" measure against hijacking.
Passengers in the West have complained that using body scanners amounts to strip search and violates their privacy.
The official said his agency planned to address such concerns by using officers of the same gender to scan passengers.
"In any case, it's better than manual frisking. No one will touch your body. All you need to do is pass through this scan and board the aircraft," he said.
"It could make it almost impossible for someone to hijack a plane."
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