New Delhi, April 22
The special aircraft carrying Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had a mid-air scare while returning to the Capital when the Air Traffic Control (ATC) detected an unidentified blip on the radar, sending security officials in a tizzy.

As the PM's airplane, which was coming from Ranchi was nearing Delhi, the ATC identified a blip on the radar suggesting that a moving object may be chasing the VVIP flight, Airport Authority of India (AAI) sources said.

An emergency drill on the ground was quickly put in place while air controllers asked the pilot of the aircraft to hover over the Delhi airspace for 16 minutes before clearing the plane which landed safely, AAI sources said.

As a result, Singh's arrival was delayed for some time. The aircraft landed on Runway 28 at the Indira Gandhi International Airport. Singh was in Ranchi in connection with an official function.

The AAI swiftly ordered a probe into the incident which raised serious security concerns over the Prime Minister's safety.

When contacted, PMO sources declined to say anything.

Asked what the blip could mean, AAI sources said it could be an aircraft carrying a transponder on board which could be linked to the secondary radars on ground.

But some officials said this was not possible as it did not have a call sign which any aircraft would normally have.

A systemic fault in the ATC system is also not being ruled out.

AAI officials said the blip could also have been a result of a bird flying at a high speed at a certain height. Another version for the blip being given was that it may be due to some sudden atmospheric changes. — PTI