I was now the senior-most officer left at the airport. I went around the perimeter again, checked all the vehicles and then came back to the tarmac. Five policemen were guarding the plane with rifles. An Air Force officer too was with me, for purposes of liaison, as it was an airbase and the Boeing flight was being piloted by the Air Force.

It then struck me that I had not checked the plane. I asked the Air Force officer to accompany me while I check the VVIP plane. He was not sure, so he went to the office and asked the station commander. The commander gave us the go ahead. I went underneath it and had a good look. I did not see anything amiss.

Then, along with the Air Force officer, I entered the flight, going from cockpit to tail. It was a differently partitioned Boeing with a cabin, a press area and seating area. In the cabin was a large chair for the PM. I sat on it to feel what it was like. Nothing seemed out of place inside too.

The inspection over, we returned to the tarmac.