‘He said it was unloaded’: Injured screeners recall Air India Express passenger's gun going off at Varanasi airport
Two AAICLAS screeners were injured when a passenger's licensed pistol accidentally went off at Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport, Varanasi.
On August 16, 2026, a passenger at Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport in Varanasi accidentally discharged a licensed pistol while showing it to airport screeners, injuring two AAICLAS screeners, Rohit Raj and Suman Kumari. The passenger claimed the gun was unloaded when he pressed the trigger, but witnesses suggested he might have acted out of anger or frustration.
The male screener was injured in his hand, while the female screener was injured above her knee. Airport director Puneet Gupta confirmed the incident and stated that both screeners were taken to the New Laxmi Trauma Centre for treatment. The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) is investigating the circumstances surrounding the accidental discharge, including adherence to prescribed procedures for handling and carriage of licensed weapons at airports.
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