Varanasi (UP), Aug 17 : Kamlesh Kedarnath Rai, who was detained by police after his licensed pistol went off “accidentally” during a security screening at the Varanasi airport on Sunday, leaving two screening staff injured, was released on bail on Monday, police said.
The SHO of Phoolpur police station, Rajeev Kumar Singh, said, “Police had detained Kamlesh Kedarnath Rai after booking him under sections 125(A) and 125(B) of the BNS for causing hurt in an act endangering life or personal safety of others.
“Since both sections are bailable, Rai was released on bail from the police station on Monday.”
Rai's licensed pistol went off “accidentally” during a security screening at the Varanasi airport on Sunday morning, injuring two screening staff who are undergoing treatment at the New Lakshmi Trauma Centre here, police said.
The incident occurred at the Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport at around 9.30 am, when Rai, who was scheduled to fly to Mumbai on an Air India Express flight, declared a licensed firearm (7.62 mm pistol with 21 live cartridges) at the check-in counter under the prescribed procedure.
He was escorted to the designated screening area for completion of the mandatory security formalities, according to the Ministry of Civil Aviation.
“During the handling and inspection of the weapon, a round was accidentally discharged. The projectile ricocheted and caused injuries to two screening staff, Rohit Raj and Suman Kumari,” it said.
According to the preliminary police investigation, the pistol's magazine came out while its weapon details and number of rounds were being recorded. However, one round remained in the chamber, and the weapon fired after the trigger was pressed accidentally.
Rai is a resident of Azamgarh district.
A statement issued by the Gomti Zone DCP said Kumari was injured in the leg while Raj was hit in the thumb.
