Monkey skull found in passenger’s hand baggage at Delhi airport; wildlife department opinion sought
Passenger handed over to local police for legal action under the provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972
Alert Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel at Indira Gandhi International Airport detected a skull concealed inside a passenger’s hand baggage during a pre-embarkation security check on August 10.
The passenger was scheduled to travel from Delhi to Hyderabad when the suspicious object was detected during security screening.
On being questioned, the passenger reportedly told CISF personnel that the recovered item was a monkey skull.
Given the nature of the object and its suspected connection with wildlife, the passenger was handed over to the local police for further legal action under the provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
However, police officials clarified that the exact nature of the object and whether its possession or transportation amounts to a violation of law would have to be established by the Wildlife Department.
“The opinion of Wildlife department is essential in all such matters, to establish what the object in contention is and whether carrying it amounts to violation of any laws,” police said.
The officials added that legal action would be taken if a violation is established. “The process is being followed in this matter also,” police said.
The incident comes amid strict security and scrutiny of items carried by passengers at the airport. Authorities are now awaiting the Wildlife Department’s assessment to determine the nature of the recovered skull and whether further legal action is warranted under wildlife protection laws.
