‘Arms at airport may land you in jail’

Next time you leave for the airport, do check your baggage properly for any cartridge or ammunition. In the past two years, over 50 passengers have been arrested with live cartridges or sometimes even a gun in their baggage. Interestingly, most of them were not aware of the presence of ammunition in their bag and had no criminal intentions, writes Faizan Haider.

Next time you leave for the airport, do check your baggage properly for any cartridge or ammunition. In the past two years, over 50 passengers have been arrested with live cartridges or sometimes even a gun in their baggage. Interestingly, most of them were not aware of the presence of ammunition in their bag and had no criminal intentions.

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According to the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), the lack of awareness about carrying firearms often land passengers in jail. As on March 14 this year, 14 passengers have already been arrested with arms or ammunition in their baggage.

As per rules, passengers cannot carry a firearm or ammunition in their pocket or in their cabin baggage.

However, there is a provision for carrying it in the registered baggage and those who are aware of the rule, carry it in their baggage after declaring it. “After getting caught, if they show us the licence, we let them go but seize the firearm. We arrest the person only if he/she fails to produce any valid document. In most of the cases, the passenger has a licence that is not valid in Delhi and we have to hand them over to the police,” a senior police officer said.