Delhi woman arrested after power bank she threw explodes at IGI

There were moments of panic at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International (IGI)airport on Tuesday when a woman, angry at being asked by security personnel to remove a power bank from her check-in baggage, smashed the device on a wall, causing it to emit sparks and smoke.

Security personnel initially mistook it for a hand grenade. The woman was later arrested by the Delhi Police.

A senior officer from the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), which handles security inside the airport, said the woman, identified as Malavika Tiwari, a resident of Defence Colony, arrived at the domestic terminal to board a SpiceJet flight to Dharamshala around 10.35 am.

The officer said Tiwari was called for a physical examination of her bag after finding something suspicious. “When her bag was opened, the device was found to be a battery bank. Since Bureau of Civil Aviation Security rules do not allow a passenger to carry power bank in check-in bagage, Tiwari was asked to keep it in her handbag,” the officer said.

However, she became irritated and threw it against a wall. “The impact caused the device to burst,” the officer said.

Assistant IG, CISF, Hemendra Singh, said, “At a place like the airport, no chance can be taken when it comes to passengers’ safety,” Singh said.

Tiwari was booked under section 336 (act endangering life or personal safety of others) and 285 (negligent conduct with respect to fire or combustible matter) of the IPC.

Deputy commissioner of police (IGIA), Sanjay Bhatia said Tiwari was released on bail.

First Published: Aug 30, 2018 02:03 IST