A pistol belonging to a passenger from Azamgarh discharged at Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport in Varanasi while the traveller was preparing to board an Air India flight to Mumbai. The bullet hit two airport staff members after striking the floor, leaving both injured.

The injured employees included a male staff member with a wound to the hand and a female staff member who was hit in the thigh. They were taken shortly afterwards to a private hospital in Harhua for treatment. Their condition was described as normal while treatment continued.

What happened during the checks

The passenger had informed officials about the pistol and its magazine before the security process, according to the available information. The weapon was being examined along with its papers when it discharged.

The bullet first hit the ground and then struck people standing nearby. One impact injured the hand of a male staff member, while another hit the thigh of a female member of the airport staff.

The reported sequence was as follows:

  • A passenger from Azamgarh was travelling to Mumbai on an Air India flight.
  • He had declared the pistol and magazine to officials.
  • The firearm discharged while the weapon and its documents were being checked.
  • The bullet struck the floor before hitting two staff members.
  • The injured employees were taken to a private hospital in Harhua.

Airport director’s account

Varanasi airport director Puneet Gupta said the firearm went off while the weapon and its papers were under examination. He said both the weapon owner and staff members were present during the checking process.

Gupta identified the injured people as a woman and a man from the airport staff. He said their condition was normal and that they were receiving treatment at the hospital.

Injuries and treatment

The incident caused injuries to two staff members at the airport, including one woman. The male employee suffered the hand injury, while the female employee was wounded in the thigh after the bullet ricocheted from the floor.

The injured staff were moved to a private facility in Harhua immediately after the discharge. The available account says their treatment was under way and that their condition was not critical. The weapon and its documents were being examined as part of the security procedure when the incident occurred.