20 June,2023 11:03 AM IST | Mumbai | Faizan Khan
Image used for representational purpose.
The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) has apprehended an airline passenger at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport after live bullets were discovered during the baggage screening process.
The accused has been handed over to the Sahar police station and has been arrested under the Arms Act.
As per the first information report (FIR) filed by CISF officials, the accused, identified as Umesh Gaud, 41, was travelling to Gorakhpur via a SpiceJet flight on Saturday evening. While scanning of his luggage, CISF officials noticed metallic objects in his bag. Upon inspection, they found four live bullets measuring 0.380 mm. "When we checked if he had a licence to carry them, he responded in the negative," an official mentioned in the FIR.
The authorities are investigating the matter.
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An officer said, "We are verifying his details with our counterparts in Uttar Pradesh to determine if Gaud has a criminal record. So far, we have not received any information about his background, and he has not disclosed the reason for carrying the bullets, despite being aware that they would be detected during screening."
Sources indicate that the police are also examining CCTV footage to ascertain whether the accused interacted with anyone near the airport before entering the arrival gate.
"All necessary measures are being taken to ensure the safety and security of the airport," said the officer.
In a similar case, earlier in July 2019, a 20-year-old Yemeni national was arrested by the Sahar police for allegedly carrying six long-range rifle bullets in his bag at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International (CSMT) Airport. The accused identified as AWS Sava Hussain was in India for higher studies. According to the police, on July 26 at about 10.45 pm, the MIAL screener detected O01 live ammunition & 05 misfired ammunition of 5.56 mm calibre in the bag registered under the name of AWS Sava Hussein, bound for Delhi by Air India flight Number Al-101. The bullets were detected during the second check before he could board a connecting flight to Delhi from Mumbai.
