Unattended bag creates panic at Delhi airport; later claimed by passenger
New Delhi: An unattended bag triggered panic on Friday at the Delhi airport on the suspicion of containing RDX, but officials later said it was claimed by a passenger who had forgotten it outside the Terminal-3.
The bag contained a laptop, its charger, some toys and clothes, they said, declaring there was no RDX or any other explosive in the bag, which was opened in the presence of the claimant.
The passenger, who was identified as Shahid Hussain by officials, contacted police authorities after over 16 hours of losing his bag.
He said he was a part of a group of four people and had forgotten the bag outside the Indira Gandhi International airport's Terminal-3 after he arrived from Mumbai on a SpiceJet plane, they said.
The passenger, the officials said, told a joint investigation team of security officials that the bag contained a laptop, among other items. Hussain said he had forgotten his luggage at the airport as the group had a number of bags, they said.
The passenger was taken to the isolated area at the IGI airport where the black coloured trolley bag was kept inside a total containment vessel (TCV) or a thick metal sheeted bomb defusing container, the officials said.
The man has been handed over to the police for further probe and to unravel the entire sequence of events which prima facie looks to be a case of oversight by the passenger and his group, they said.
"Hussain, a resident of Ballabhgarh, landed in Delhi at 12.30 am on Friday from Mumbai in a Spicejet plane. He was accompanied by his three friends. Hussain works in a steel structure company and left he unintentionally," a senior police officer said.
The entire security paraphernalia at the sensitive airport went into a tizzy after initial inputs suggested that the bag could be containing RDX.
What added to the suspicion was that the place where the bag was spotted was in a "dark zone" outside the arrival terminal, where there is little CCTV coverage.
The explosive vapour detector somehow indicated the presence of RDX and hence, all security drills like isolating the suspicious bag and restricting passenger movement was undertaken, officials said.
The bag was detected around 1 am by a Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) staffer and was subsequently kept in an isolated zone with a joint team of CISF, the bomb experts of the National Security Guard and forensics keeping it under observation.
"The bag was removed with the help of the CISF and shifted to another place. It has not been opened yet. It seems like there are some electric wires inside it. We have increased the security of the airport premises," Sanjay Bhatia, deputy commissioner of police (airport), had said soon after the incident was reported.
Preliminary inputs suggested the contents of the bag could be RDX, the sources said. It was checked by an explosive detector and a sniffer dog.
CISF Special Director General (airport sector) M A Ganapathy, however, had said it was "premature" to say the explosive is RDX grade.
"It can be any material and the initial inputs can be false. To say it is RDX at this point of time is highly premature. We should wait for the final assessment report," Ganapathy had told PTI.
Research Department Explosive, acronymed RDX, is a deadly non-smelly explosive and has been used by terrorist elements in the past to create mass casualties.
Officials said in the morning that the suspected explosive has been put under observation for the next 24 hours and something certain can be said only after that.
In July this year, a piece of cargo at the Vadodara airport was suspected to containing RDX. It later turned out to be a consignment of pellets and air guns, an official in the security establishment said.
Giving details of Friday's incident, Delhi Police officials said a call was received around 1 am, following which the bag was found at arrival gate number two of the terminal.
The discovery of the bag caused panic among passengers who were not allowed to exit the terminal for sometime, sources at some airlines said.
Officials said CISF and Delhi Police personnel conducted a complete anti-sabotage check of the airport after which passenger movement was allowed around 4 am.
The CISF and police have stepped up security at the facility in accordance with standard procedure, they said. Delhi airport has three terminals and domestic as well as international flights operate from the Terminal-3.
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Dental student death: Probe against faculty after harassment allegations
Kannur (Kerala)(PTI): Police have launched a probe against faculty members of Kannur Dental College after a first-year student died after falling from a building in a suspected suicide, officials said on Sunday.
Chakkarakkal police, who registered a case of unnatural death, initiated the probe after the parents and friends of the deceased alleged that he had been subjected to emotional harassment by faculty members.
The deceased has been identified as Nithin Raj RL (22), a native of Uzhamalackal, Puthukulangara, Thiruvananthapuram and a first-year BDS student of the college located in Anjarakandy here.
According to police, Raj was found critically injured near the medical college block after falling from the building on the afternoon of April 10. Though he was rushed to the medical college and given treatment, he later succumbed to his injuries.
Following the incident, the college initiated an internal inquiry and on Saturday suspended Dental Anatomy Department Head MK Ram and Associate Professor KT Sangeetha Nambiar.
Police said Raj had sent an audio message to his friends alleging harassment by faculty members, including threats of physical assault and academic repercussions such as reducing his marks in examinations.
Officials at Chakkarakkal police station said a detailed probe is underway into the incident, with digital evidence being collected.
Also, statements by Raj's classmates, college authorities and family members will be recorded soon, police added.
Raj's father Rajan told reporters that his son was emotionally and "verbally harassed" by teachers over his dark complexion and poor family background.
"He worked hard without any support to secure admission on a merit seat in the dental college. But he was harassed by faculty over his caste and complexion. They also threatened to harm him academically," Rajan claimed.
He said that they have lodged a complaint against the faculty members with the police and are expecting a fair probe into the death of his son.
Raj's sister Nikitha said that he had faced repeated harassment based on caste and complexion.
She claimed that Raj had filed a complaint with the college principal, but no action was taken.
"He used to tell us about such discrimination and harassment regularly. He was once called to the staff room where he was severely harassed," she alleged.
The sister also claimed that Raj was once called a "slum dog" in the classroom in front of other students by a faculty member. "Once, when the harassment became unbearable, he reacted, after which the verbal abuse intensified," she added.
When contacted, college authorities told PTI that two faculty members had been suspended and that they were cooperating with the police investigation.
"We will fully cooperate with the investigation and share all details. Further action will be taken based on the outcome of the police probe," an official said.
The body of Raj was brought to his residence in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday, and buried on the land owned by the family.
Sheeba MR, mother of veterinary student Sidharthan JS, who died in 2024 allegedly after being ragged by fellow students at the Government Veterinary College, Wayanad, visited the house of Raj.
Sheeba said that after her son’s death, she had hoped such incidents would not recur in colleges, but a similar tragedy had happened again.
"These suspensions are only cosmetic as those responsible will be reinstated later. In Sidharthan’s case, the accused students were to be re-admitted soon. Only after our legal fight are they still kept out," she said.
Meanwhile, political leaders also demanded a detailed probe into the incident.
Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala called for a high-level inquiry into Raj’s death.
He said the government should take seriously the allegations by the student’s parents and relatives that caste-and-complexion-based harassment led to the death and take urgent steps to bring those responsible to justice.
Chennithala said the issue should not be closed by merely suspending two teachers and noted that the parents had firmly alleged severe caste discrimination.
Leader of the Opposition in the outgoing Kerala Assembly VD Satheesan visited Raj’s house and demanded a thorough probe.
"Teachers are expected to guide students. How did such people become teachers? There should be a detailed probe," he said.
He added that strict intervention was needed to ensure such incidents are not repeated in the state.
CPI(M) Rajya Sabha MP A A Rahim also visited the family and described the incident as painful.
Rahim said Raj was the hope of his family, which had supported his education despite hardship.
"CPI(M) will stand with the family until justice is delivered. Such an incident should not have happened in a society like Kerala," he said.
He also compared the incident with the death of Rohith Vemula at the University of Hyderabad.
"The family has told us that Raj faced repeated caste discrimination and was deeply affected by it. A detailed probe must be conducted and justice ensured. The action taken should set an example so that such incidents are not repeated in Kerala," Rahim said.
Meanwhile, the Kerala State Human Rights Commission on Sunday directed the police to conduct a detailed probe into the death of the student and submit a report within a week.
The Commission took a case on its own based on media reports.
Commission Judicial member K Baijunath issued directions to the Kannur City Police Commissioner to investigate the allegations surrounding the incident and file a report within the stipulated time, according to a statement.
