The Central Industrial Security Force Friday apologised to noted dancer and actor Sudhaa Chandran after she said she felt disheartened and humiliated when she was recently asked to remove her artificial limb during security check at an airport.
"We are extremely sorry for the inconvenience caused to Ms. Sudhaa Chandran. As per protocol, prosthetics are to be removed for security checks only under exceptional circumstances. We will examine why the lady personnel concerned requested Ms. Sudhaa Chandran to remove the prosthetics.
"We assure Ms. Sudhaa Chandran that all our personnel will be sensitised again on the protocols so that no inconvenience is caused to travelling passengers," tweeted the CISF, which is tasked to provide a counter-terrorist cover and frisk passengers and their luggage at 64 civil airports of the country.
Earlier, actor and Bharatnatyam dancer Sudhaa Chandran had revealed that she is asked to remove her artificial limb each time she is at the airport while on a professional trip. She appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to issue senior citizen cards for better experience.
The 56-year-old Sudhaa Chandran had lost her leg in an accident but returned to dancing and acting again using a prosthetic foot. She said that despite requesting the airport authorities to conduct an "ETD (Explosive Trace Detector) for her artificial limb," they ask her to remove it every time.
In an Instagram video, she said: "Good evening, this is a very personal note that I want to tell to our dear Prime Minister Narendra Modi Ji, this is an appeal to the central government, I am Sudhaa Chandran, an actress and dancer by profession, who has danced with an artificial limb and created history and made my country very proud of me.”
She further said: "But every time that I go on my professional visits, each time, am stopped at the airport and when I request them at the security, to the CISF officers that please do an ETD (Explosive Trace Detector) for my artificial limb, they still want me to remove my artificial limb and show it to them. Is this humanly possible, Modi ji? Is this what our country is talking about? Is this the respect that a woman gives to another woman in our society? It is my humble request to you Modi ji that please give senior citizens a card that says they are senior citizen."
Expecting prompt action, she said she hoped her message reaches the government authorities.
Actor Karanvir Bohra also reposted the video And wrote, ‘I totally agree with you #sudhaji there should be a facility made for such situations, in compete with you on this’. Sudhaa then thanked the TV actor for his support.
(With PTI inputs)
