Varanasi, August 16: Two cargo and luggage screeners sustained injuries at Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport in Varanasi after a passenger’s licensed firearm discharged during mandatory pre-flight inspection procedures, aviation officials confirmed. The incident occurred at approximately 9:30 AM when a passenger, identified as Azamgarh resident Kamlesh Kedarnath Rai, declared his 7.62 mm pistol and 21 live cartridges before boarding Air India Express flight IX-1810 to Mumbai alongside his wife.
According to a formal statement issued by the Civil Aviation Ministry, the accidental discharge took place while the firearm was being handled and inspected in the designated security screening zone. The discharged projectile ricocheted, causing leg and thumb injuries to AAI Cargo Logistics and Allied Services Company Limited (AAICLAS) screening staff members Suman Kumari and Rohit Raj. Both wounded employees were immediately evacuated and shifted to the New Laxmi Trauma Centre for medical care.
“During the handling and inspection of the weapon, a round was accidentally discharged,” the Civil Aviation Ministry maintained in its official communication. The ministry further asserted that the passenger has been detained by local law enforcement to assist in the ongoing inquiry.
The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) has launched a comprehensive review to evaluate whether prescribed protocols governing the carriage and handling of declared personal arms were fully adhered to during the inspection. Senior police officials, including the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Gomti Zone), arrived at the scene shortly after the discharge to collect evidence and initiate appropriate legal proceedings. Aviation authorities confirmed that airport operations resumed seamlessly and remained completely undisrupted throughout the day.
