Rumours of a ghost at the Bangalore International Airport, has left the staff petrified.

The fear factor has increased as Monday is Amavasya. The day is considered inauspicious and it is presumed that the ghost appears at night.

The rumour that has been doing the rounds is that a lady in a white sari and long hair is seen on the runway and in the cargo building.

Though Air Traffic Control (ATC) records won't confirm it, sources in BIA said extra security personnel have been deployed around the cargo building, where the ghost has reportedly been seen quite often over the past one week.

A pilot is said to have seen the 'lady in the white sari' four days ago. Sources in BIA said that he had supposedly reported the incident to ATC and while ground staff was sent to pick up the lady, they were taken aback as she had disappeared when they reached the terminal area after picking her up.

"The ground staff are in a state of shock," said an employee in BIA, "They are worried since the news of the lady on the runway is spreading."

Though ATC reports don't confirm it, a photo, which is not clear, said to be of the ghost, has added to the fear.
But no one knows which pilot saw the spectre or, for that matter, which ground staff picked up the 'lady'.
"It's known that a ground staff who picked her up has also clicked photos. But nobody has come forward to claim they have seen the ghost or clicked pictures," said our source.

However, BIA officials stoutly deny the story.

Living in dread

"Details of the pilot who saw it is also not available."

Haunted?

The 500 employees in the cargo building, who work in shifts, live in dread.

There is talk that since the past one month, the ghost has been seen on the steps of the building as well as within the cargo building.

"Staff, who work in that building, situated away from the terminal building, after the fuel section, are afraid of working in night shifts," said the source, adding, "security has been tightened in the area, including men in mufti."

But the night shift staff in the section is reluctant to work on Monday.

While the veracity of the ghost rumours is yet to be confirmed, some people suspect foul play.

Authorities have denied any such thing. "We don't know anything about this," said A N Vishwanath, general manager, ATC (Air Traffic Control). "Nothing of this kind has been brought to our notice."