india

Updated: Jul 11, 2019 08:00 IST

Panic gripped at Vadodara airport on Wednesday after the explosives detector signalled the presence of RDX in a suspicious package booked as cargo on an IndiGo flight.

People familiar with the matter said the package was first checked by IndiGo following which the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) was called and a check by Explosive Trace Detector (ETD) suggested the presence of RDX in it.

When box was opened, two air pistols, pellet boxes and two boxes of small bullets were found in it. The bullets were setting off the RDX alert on the ETD and have been sent for testing.

“Around 10 am, ETD checking of the cargo consignment booked from Vadodara to Delhi showed the component of RDX. The cargo consignment was booked with IndiGo and the first check was done at IndiGo cargo complex, which is located in the parking area of Vadodara airport,” a senior Vadodara airport official said on condition of anonymity.

The local police have been called in and an initial investigation, revealed that the consignment was handed over by a person to Surat based courier company, who handed over this to another company, the handling agency for cargo booking.

“This consignment was to be delivered at a factory in Amritsar after shipping through IndiGo flight from Vadodara to Delhi,” the airport official added.

“The material has been handed over to the local police, and they have sent team to Surat, from where the packet had originated and an alert to Amritsar to identify the receiver. Operations at the airport were normal and there was no security concern,” said a CISF officer who asked not to be named.

IndiGo did not comment on the matter.