Airguns, cartridges found in cargo at Vadodara airport

VADODARA: Anxious moments were witnessed at the Vadodara airport on Wednesday after scanning machines detected explosives in one of the cargoes on the Vadodara-Delhi IndiGo flight. The bomb disposal squad (BDS) rushed to the spot and immediately took possession of the box. The police said the consignment had two airguns and 58 cartridges sent by Bhadresh Kakariya, a resident of Surat, who has been detained.
“Kakariya had purchased the airguns along with cartridges during his visit to Amritsar. However, on receiving the consignment, he found out that the colour of airgun was different than what he had ordered. So he sent back the consignment which was detected during scanning. Kakariya had bought the airguns for celebratory firing in his brother’s marriage,” said Saroj Kumari, deputy commissioner of police (zone IV).
“The bomb squad scanned the consignment and found there were low-grade explosives consisting of potassium chlorate in the cartridges. The forensic science laboratory team also conducted a test to ascertain presence of RDX. The results were negative,” she added.
Courier firm did not care to check parcel
Potassium chlorate is used as an oxidizing agent in manufacturing of fireworks, explosives, disinfectants and other material. It is illegal to transport airguns or cartridges in air cargo without proper declaration.
“We have seized two airguns and cartridges. Bhadresh Kakariya had sent the consignment through Akash Ganga Courier Services and told them that the box has a dagger. Akash Ganga gave the consignment to Shri Shakti Cargo for delivery to Amritsar by air. Both Akash Ganga and Shri Shakti employees should have checked the parcel, but they didn’t. We will be filing complaint against all of them,” Kumari told TOI.
Ramesh Kumar, owner of Shri Shakti and Mukesh Agrawal, manager of Akash Ganga have been rounded up too.
All there were booked under IPC section 336 ( act of endangering safety of others), section 286 (negligent conduct with respect to explosive substance) and Indian Airport Act 1934, section 10.
Vadodara airport director Charan Singh, said, “It was during security check that the explosive detection machine alerted about the objects. We informed the local police which reached the airport with bomb disposal squad and FSL.”
“The consignment was supposed to reach Amritsar via Vadodara to Delhi flight which was scheduled to depart at 12.30 pm,” he said.