‘RDX’ found in bag at Delhi airport

The authorities of Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi curbed passenger movements for a couple of hours as they recovered a bag full of suspected RDX content in the wee hours yesterday.

The material was first detected around 1:00am (Delhi time) by a member of Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) in the arrival area of Terminal-3.

According to Delhi police, the RDX content was recovered on information and was later kept in a cooling pit.

Sanjay Bhatia, deputy commissioner of Delhi police (airport), said, “The bag was removed with the help of CISF and shifted to another place. It has not been opened yet. It seems like there are some electric wire inside it. We have increased the security of the airport premises.”

The recovery of suspected RDX triggered panic among passengers who were not allowed to exit the terminal for some time, sources at some airlines said.

Officials said the members of CISF and Delhi Police conducted a complete anti-sabotage check of the airport after which passenger movement was allowed only at around 4:00am.

Delhi airport has three terminals and certain domestic as well as all international flights operate from the Terminal-3. 

Preliminary inputs suggest the content of the bag to be RDX. It was checked by an explosive detector and a dog.

However, the exact nature of the explosive is being ascertained, officials said.

The explosive has been put under observation for the next 24 hours, after which something certain about it could be said, they added. 

It could be an explosive or an improvised explosive device (IED) but it is not clear at present, the officials said.