Recently, Senior IPS officer Amrit Mohan Prasad, chief of the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), took on an additional role as Director General (DG) of the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) amid heightened bomb threats to airlines across India. This move reflects the government’s urgent response to the surge in aviation-related threats, with the BCAS playing a crucial role in aviation security and response protocols. Given that airports and airlines received over 300 bomb threats in October alone—albeit hoaxes—each incident disrupts operations and results in financial losses. This situation raises questions about the anonymous nature of such threats and how moving towards a cashless society could enhance security in such scenarios.
How Cash Transactions Compromise Security in Aviation and Beyond
Cash allows anonymity, which is often exploited by those issuing threats or conducting illegal activities. Here’s how cash transactions contribute to security issues in aviation and similar sectors:
- Funding Hoax Threats and Disruption Campaigns: Cash makes it easier to hire individuals or use third-party networks to make hoax calls anonymously, with no digital footprint. These funds can be transferred without any traceable history, creating a veil of secrecy around the perpetrators. In a cashless system, such funds would be easier to trace, potentially discouraging individuals from issuing such threats.
- Weakening Traceability in Security Operations: In cases of genuine threats, criminals rely on cash transactions to fund logistics, procure materials, and pay off intermediaries without leaving a trail. Digital transactions would leave a record, enhancing the ability of security agencies to intercept such activities.
- Difficulty in Detecting Repeated Offenders: The anonymous nature of cash makes it challenging to identify repeat offenders, as they can continue to operate without traceable financial histories. In contrast, a digital economy would allow law enforcement to flag suspicious activity patterns, identifying potential risks before they escalate.
How a Cashless System Could Strengthen National Security in Aviation
Transitioning towards a cashless society could enhance aviation security by limiting the financial resources available to individuals attempting to disrupt public safety. Here are some potential benefits:
- Enhanced Tracking of Financial Movements: A digital financial framework would allow authorities to monitor transactions more closely, helping them identify suspicious patterns or unusual behavior associated with threats. Such oversight could enable early intervention, reducing the likelihood of successful threats.
- Stronger Cross-Agency Collaboration: Digital transactions create a clear record that is easy to share across agencies, enabling faster collaboration. In aviation security, such data can expedite responses and streamline investigations involving multiple agencies, such as BCAS, CISF, and the police.
- Deterring Criminal Activity: When transactions are traceable, the fear of detection acts as a natural deterrent for individuals looking to conduct disruptive activities. This transparency could discourage those considering issuing bomb threats or engaging in illegal activities around sensitive areas like airports.
- Improving Public Safety and Operational Efficiency: By reducing anonymous cash-based funding for disruptive activities, a cashless system could prevent the logistical issues and public disruptions that hoax threats create. This would lead to a smoother experience for airline operators, passengers, and security personnel alike.
Conclusion: A Call for a Cashless Future for Enhanced Security
The rise in bomb threats to airlines and other aviation-related security concerns highlights the role of cash in enabling covert operations that threaten public safety. Shifting towards a cashless society could serve as a proactive approach, offering enhanced transparency, traceability, and collaboration across security agencies. While going cashless may not completely eliminate security threats, it would make it significantly harder for individuals to finance and carry out such disruptive activities. The adoption of digital transactions could thus play a vital role in creating a safer, more secure future in aviation and beyond.