Date:08/12/2004 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2004/12/08/stories/2004120812361500.htm

National

Live cartridges found in airport dustbin

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, DEC. 7. Security agencies were put on high alert at the Indira Gandhi International Airport here early this morning following recovery of 25 live rounds of 7.65 mm cartridges from a dustbin in the toilet there.

The entire airport was then thoroughly searched, but nothing else was found.

The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) said it was at about 1.30 a.m. that during a routine check, constable Indronil Roy of the Quick Reaction Team deployed in the Transit Lounge found a square object wrapped in black tape in the dustbin on the Transit West Side of the International Terminal. He immediately informed Sub-Inspector V.K. Attry. Subsequently the area was cordoned off and the box was opened, revealing the live rounds of cartridges.

The security agency said it was of the view that some passenger had come in with these live rounds and had disposed them of fearing detection.

The rounds have since been handed over to the Indira Gandhi International Airport police along with a report for further probe.

Meanwhile, the CISF clarified that passengers were not subjected to checking and frisking at the entry gates of the airport and pre-embarkation checks were conducted in the Security Hold Area of the Airport alone as per the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security guidelines.