Man snatches gun, triggers security scare at Delhi airport

A 27-year-old drunk man caused a security scare near Delhi airport on Thursday night by jumping out of a moving car and then snatching the pistol of an on-duty CISF security officer

A 27-year-old drunk man caused a security scare near Delhi airport on Thursday night by jumping out of a moving car and then snatching the pistol of an on-duty CISF security officer.

Shankar alias Amit after his arrest on Thursday. (HT Photo)

The incident, which took place at the main vehicle checking point — barely 300 metres from Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport’s Terminal 3, saw armed CISF commandos firing two warning shots at the man, before overpowering and arresting him.

Security officers said the incident also led to the closure of the main road to the airport for some time, until the suspect was caught and the threat cleared. This in turn led to serpentine queue of vehicles, which was later cleared with the help of traffic police.

The nabbed suspect was later identified as Shankar alias Amit, a resident of Sangam Vihar in south Delhi.

According to the senior officers of the CISF, the incident took place around 11.50pm — when the men posted at the main vehicle checking point on the Central Spine Road, which goes from Mahipalpur towards Terminal 3, spotted a vehicle speeding towards them.

“After the security personnel signalled the vehicle to stop, they saw that a man sitting on the front seat thrashing the driver. Soon after, the driver stepped out of the car and the man shifted into the driver’s seat and tried to drive the vehicle away. Seeing this, the CISF commandos came near the car and asked the man to step out. The man, however, started the car and tried to take a U turn and flee,” said the officer.

This was when an assistant sub-inspector from the CISF snatched the ignition keys from the moving car, forcing the vehicle to come to a halt. “The suspect then stepped out of the car and first indulged in a fist fight with the CISF men then snatched the pistol of one of the commandos. Seeing him try to flee with the weapon, the commandos then fired at the ground to scare him. The commandos fired a second shot in the air prompting the suspect to drop the gunand surrender,” the officer said.

Deputy commissioner of police (IGI), Sanjay Bhatia, said they had received a PCR call reporting the incident. “On reaching the spot, the police team identified the suspect as 27-year-old Shankar alias Amit who lives in Sangam Vihar. His credentials have been verified and he is previously found to be involved in a case of
attempt to culpable homicide,” Bhatia said.

Police arrested Shankar and booked him under various sections of the Indian Penal Code.

Shankar later revealed that he was trying to carjack the taxi in which he had arrived, the DCP said.