Security tightened after suspicious explosive bag found at Delhi airport

New Delhi : A bag with suspected explosives was found at Delhi's Terminal 3 airport in the early hours of Friday, leading to passenger movement being restricted for a few hours and roads outside the high-security complex blocked, officials said.

The black bag, which could contain RDX according to preliminary assessment, was found in the arrival area of Terminal 3 and has been kept in a cooling pit.

The bag was detected around 1 am by a Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel. "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 wires inside it. We have increased the security of the airport premises," said Sanjay Bhatia, deputy commissioner of police (Airport).

Preliminary inputs suggested the contents of the bag could be RDX, sources said. It was checked by an explosive detector and a sniffer dog.

The exact nature of the explosive is being ascertained, the sources added. CISF Special Director General (airports sector) M A Ganapathy, however, said it was "premature" to say the explosive is RDX grade. "It can be any material and the initial inputs can be false.

To say it is RDX at this point of time is highly premature. We should wait for the final assessment report," Ganapathy.

Research Department Explosive, acronymed RDX, is a deadly non-smelly explosive and has been used by terrorist elements in the past to create mass casualties.

Sources said the suspected explosive has been put under observation for the next 24 hours and something certain can be said only after that.