Service revolver bullets add fuel to Vijayan controversy

Thiruvananthapuram: The discovery of five live bullets in the laptop bag of CPI-M’s Kerala state secretary Mr Pinarayi Vijayan at Chennai airport yesterday has raised questions as to how he came to possess a prohibited bore weapon despite his civilian status. Mr Vijayan was on his way to attend the CPI-M politburo meet in New Delhi but missed his Jet Airways flight.
The CISF personnel at Chennai airport let him off after receiving a faxed copy of his rifle license. Mr Vijayan said he had removed the bullets and kept them in the bag before giving his gun to the authorities concerned in Kerala for renewal of licence.
The .38 bullets found on Mr Vijayan can only be used in a service revolver, in makes such as Webley & Scott or Smith & Wesson.
Mr HK Dutta, the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) commandant at the Thiruvananthapuram airport, today said that there was no flaw in security check and that Mr Vijayan was frisked just the same as other passengers bound for the Paramount Airways flight to Chennai from Thiruvananthapuram. “We did not find anything suspicious on him. The ammunition did not elude the eyes of the Thiruvananthapuram airport authorities eventhough the hand-baggage x-ray did not reveal the bullets,” he said, alleging that the bullets were probably transferred from the check-in baggage to the hand baggage after Mr Vijayan reached Chennai.
17/02/07 The Statesman

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Categories: airports feb 2007, safety feb 2007