Varanasi airport accidental firing: Two injured, passenger held

Varanasi airport witnessed chaos on Sunday morning when a licensed pistol accidentally discharged during a security check, injuring two employees. The passenger, Kamlesh Kedar Nath Rai, was travelling to Mumbai with his wife on Air India Express flight IX-1810. The bullet first hit the floor before striking two AAICLAS screeners, including a woman who was shot in the thigh.

Aaj Tak reports that Rai, originally from Azamgarh district, is a former BMC corporator from the Congress party and later joined the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena. He was detained and is being questioned. Business Today confirms that airport director Puneet Gupta said both injured staff are stable and undergoing treatment at New Laxmi Trauma Centre.

Police are investigating how the weapon discharged despite Rai having declared the pistol and magazine beforehand. Authorities are checking whether standard security procedures were followed during the inspection.