Archive · 16 Aug 2026
Shiv Sena Politician Detained After Accidental Gunshot at Varanasi Airport
A man from Mumbai named Kamlesh Rai was at the airport in Varanasi with his wife.
He had a special permission to carry a gun.
When he showed his gun to the airport workers, it went off by accident.
The bullet bounced off a wall and hit two workers.
The workers were hurt and had to go to the hospital.
The police kept the man at the airport and asked him questions.
The airport stayed open, and planes kept flying normally.
Another important group started a review to find out what went wrong.
The workers said Rai pulled the trigger to show them the gun was empty.
Now everyone is trying to figure out if it was the man's mistake or a mix-up in the safety rules.
Shiv Sena politician and former BMC corporator Kamlesh Rai was detained at Varanasi's Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport after his licensed pistol accidentally discharged, injuring two security staffers.
Around 9:30am, Rai was declaring a licensed 7.62 mm pistol and 21 live cartridges before boarding Air India Express flight IX-1810 bound for Mumbai when a single round fired during the inspection.
Injured staffers Suman Kumari and Rohit Raj said Rai pressed the trigger to demonstrate the weapon was unloaded; the bullet ricocheted off a surface and struck them.
Rai, who was travelling with his wife, was detained by Phulpur police; they are investigating whether the misfire was personal negligence or a procedural lapse during weapon inspection.
The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) has initiated an inquiry reviewing CCTV footage and firearm-handling protocols, while the Ministry of Civil Aviation said flight operations continued without disruption.
- Who
- Kamlesh Rai, a Shiv Sena politician and former Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) corporator from Mumbai's eastern suburbs, was detained; airport security staffers Rohit Raj and Suman Kumari were injured.
- What
- Rai's licensed 7.62 mm pistol accidentally discharged during security screening, injuring two staffers, leading to his detention and a Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) inquiry.
- When
- Around 9:30 am on the day of the incident; the article does not specify a calendar date.
- Where
- Varanasi's Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport, while Rai was preparing to board Air India Express flight IX-1810 bound for Mumbai.
- Why
- The round fired accidentally during the handling and inspection of Rai's licensed firearm; police are investigating whether the misfire was personal negligence or a procedural lapse during weapon inspection.
Passenger at Fault
Security Process at Fault
Cause of the accidental discharge
Passenger at Fault
Injured staffers said Rai removed the magazine and pressed the trigger to show the weapon was unloaded, and the shot fired during his demonstration, suggesting the passenger's handling was responsible.
Security Process at Fault
Police are examining whether the misfire resulted from a procedural lapse during weapon inspection, and the BCAS is re-reviewing protocols for the handling and safe declaration of personal firearms at commercial airports.
- Detained person
- Kamlesh Rai
- Political affiliation
- Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction); former BMC corporator, Ward 75 (Marol), Mumbai
- Incident location
- Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport, Varanasi
- Flight
- Air India Express IX-1810 to Mumbai
- Firearm
- Licensed 7.62 mm pistol with 21 live cartridges
- Injured staffers
- Rohit Raj and Suman Kumari
- Incident time
- Around 9:30 am
- Investigating agencies
- Phulpur police and Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS)