Ammunition cartridge found in Air India seat pocket of Delhi-Dubai flight

NEW DELHI: In a major security breach , Air India on Saturday reported the discovery of an ammunition cartridge in the pocket of a seat on a flight from Dubai to Delhi on October 27. The cartridge was found on flight AI916 after it had landed at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport, with all passengers safely leaving the plane.

"One ammunition cartridge was found in the pocket of a seat of our flight AI916 after it had landed from Dubai at Delhi on 27 October 2024, and all passengers had safely disembarked," an Air India spokesperson confirmed."A complaint was immediately lodged with the Airport Police by Air India, strictly adhering to the laid down security protocols” the airlines added on action taken.

A cartridge, commonly known as a round or shell, is a type of pre-assembled ammunition packaging a projectile (bullet), propellant, and primer within a casing, typically made of metal. Cartridges are designed to be fired from firearms, and their presence on an aircraft is strictly prohibited due to security concerns.

This incident comes amid a recent surge in threats targeting over 500 domestic and international flights, which, though all false alarms, have raised significant security concerns. The threats, reportedly spread across social media platforms, prompted swift action from aviation and digital authorities.

In response, the ministry of civil aviation is considering implementing stricter countermeasures against hoax threats, including potentially adding perpetrators to no-fly lists. Additionally, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has instructed social media giants, including X (formerly Twitter) and Meta, to expedite the removal of misinformation and threats on their platforms.