Security embarrassment after Afghan man leaves Delhi airport without visa

The Afghan national was supposed to go to the international transfer area to catch his Air China flight to Beijing. Instead, he approached the immigration counter by mistake and was allowed to leave.

An Afghan national was detained at the international airport in New Delhi for unknowingly leaving the terminal building without an Indian visa, officials said on Tuesday. The incident triggered security concerns as no passenger can exit without clearing the immigration formalities.

The passenger arrived in Delhi on November 30 by SpiceJet’s flight SG 022 to further travel to Beijing by Air China flight. (HT FILE)

A senior immigration official confirmed the incident at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport but refused to give any other detail.

A source at the airport said the passenger arrived in Delhi on November 30 by SpiceJet’s flight SG 022 to further travel to Beijing by Air China flight and that he was supposed to go to the international transfer area.

“But by mistake, he approached the immigration counter and was allowed to leave without stamping the passport. He exited the terminal building and entered again by showing the Beijing ticket. After the security check, he gave documents at the immigration counter and the officials found that he did not have an Indian visa,” the source said.

He was allowed to leave after a scrutiny revealed that it was the fault of immigration officials, who let him go when he arrived from Kabul.

This was not the first time a foreign national raised security concerns at the airport.

A woman was detained by immigration officials on suspicion that she was using a fake passport in October but she managed to escape without anyone noticing. The immigration official asked her to wait but when she sensed that she was not being watched, she left.

In a similar incident in July, a national of Guinea Bissau sneaked out of the Delhi airport after being detained by immigration official for travelling without a visa.