Intelligence agencies at the Cochin International Airport have reported as a major security lapse the recovery of an air gun from the checked-in baggage of a passenger here on Friday, even as the airport company is in denial mode.
“It was a clear slip on the part of the baggage screeners and we are now awaiting further directions from higher-ups,” intelligence sources said. They attributed it to a slack attitude of screeners deployed by CIAL who had failed to spot the material during an x-ray screening of the baggage.
The incident was reported on Friday as the passenger of an Air India Express flight to Thiruvanathapuram, immediately after boarding the aircraft, approached the security officials and made a declaration regarding the gun in his baggage. By then, the bag had already been sent to the aircraft's cargo hold area, and was taken out later for a secondary check.
CIAL sought to refute the allegations and said that no such incident had been reported. “It was a registered baggage along with a government declaration and was escorted by a senior Customs official,” said A.C.K. Nair, the airport director.
According to him, the blank gun, seized from a passenger by the customs department a few days ago, was being taken for a forensic check at Thiruvanathapuram.
24/10/11 The Hindu
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