‘Monkey skull’ found in checked-in baggage at Delhi's IGI airport, say officials; object's assessment underway

The find prompted the CISF to hand the passenger over to local police amid suspicion that the object may be linked to smuggling or violation of wildlife laws.

A security screening at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport took an unusual turn on Monday when CISF personnel spotted what appeared to be a human skull concealed inside a passenger’s hand baggage, senior officers said. The passenger later told the personnel that it was a monkey skull, but police are awaiting a report from the wildlife department to ascertain the nature of the object.

Passenger was scheduled to fly from Delhi to Hyderabad when the skull was detected during screening. (HT Photo)

The passenger was scheduled to fly from Delhi to Hyderabad when the object was detected during screening. When questioned, he told the CISF personnel that it was the skull of a monkey, the force said.

The unusual find prompted the CISF to hand the passenger over to the local police amid suspicion that the object could be linked to wildlife smuggling or involve a violation of wildlife laws.

However, police said it was too early to determine whether the passenger had committed an offence, as the exact nature of the object has not yet been established.

Deputy commissioner of police (IGI) Vichitra Veer said the opinion of wildlife authorities would be crucial in deciding whether possession or transportation of the object amounted to a violation of law.

“The opinion of the wildlife department is essential in all such matters, to establish what the object in contention is and whether carrying it amounts to a violation. Legal action, if made out, is taken accordingly,” Veer said on Wednesday.

Police said the wildlife department’s opinion is awaited and further action will be taken based on its assessment of the object and the applicable law.