Two injured as passenger’s licensed pistol goes off during weapons check at Varanasi airport

India: Two airport security screeners were injured on Sunday morning at Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport in Varanasi after a passenger’s licensed pistol discharged a round during a mandatory weapons inspection.

The incident occurred at around 9:30 am when the passenger, identified as 55-year-old Kamlesh Kedarnath Rai from Azamgarh, Uttar Pradesh, was preparing to board Air India Express flight IX-1810 to Mumbai with his wife. He had declared his 7.62 mm licensed pistol along with 21 live cartridges at the check-in counter, as required under aviation security rules.

Rai was escorted to the designated screening area. During the handling and inspection of the weapon by AAI Cargo Logistics and Allied Services Company Limited personnel, a round was accidentally discharged. The projectile ricocheted off the ground and injured two screeners, Rohit Raj and Suman Kumari.

According to the injured screeners, Rai removed the magazine, claimed the pistol was unloaded, and pressed the trigger while pointing it downwards to demonstrate its condition. The weapon fired. Suman Kumari was hit in the thigh/legs; Rohit Raj sustained an injury to a finger on his left hand. Both were taken to New Laxmi Trauma Centre for treatment and are reported to be out of danger.