‘He said it was unloaded’: 2 screeners recall Varanasi airport ‘accidental’ firing incident

Two cargo screeners were injured when a passenger's pistol accidentally discharged during security checks. The passenger claimed the weapon was unloaded before he pressed the trigger to show them. One screener sustained an injury to his left hand, while the other was hit in both legs. The incident occurred at Lal Bahad

The licensed firearm went off during inspection after the passenger declared it at the screening counter. A woman was injured in her leg and a man in his thumb and both have been admitted to a private hospital

The passenger, Kamlesh Kedarnath Rai from Azamgarh in Uttar Pradesh, was travelling with his wife on Air India Express flight IX1810 to Mumbai. His pistol, a 7.62 mm weapon, had 21 live cartridges at the time of the incident.