Human skeleton inside bag sparks panic at IGIA
Panic briefly gripped Terminal 3 of the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) on Friday after an unattended box containing what appeared to be a human skeleton was found in the departure area.
The incident prompted a security alert and swift action by airport police. The situation was later brought under control after authorities confirmed that the skeleton was not real but an educational model used for medical studies.
According to police, information was received at the IGI Airport police station from DIAL security about a suspicious box lying near the office of an airline in the departure area.
Given the high-security nature of the airport, the alert triggered immediate precautionary measures. The station house officer of the IGI Airport police station rushed to the spot along with police staff and initiated standard security protocols. A senior police officer said the box was examined following the prescribed security drill. “The box was carefully checked as per laid-down procedures. On inspection, it was found to contain a skeleton-like structure. However, it was not a real human skeleton but a model commonly used for educational purposes in nursing and medical studies,” the officer said.
The presence of the skeleton-like object caused brief panic among passengers and airport staff, as the box was unattended and its contents were not immediately known. Security personnel cordoned off the area as a precaution while the examination was carried out to rule out any threat. Police said the box bore a label and the address of a firm, which helped investigators trace its origin.
The firm was contacted, and it confirmed that the item was an educational model used for teaching anatomy to medical and nursing students. This clarification helped ease concerns about any criminal or suspicious activity. Further inquiry revealed that the box had been brought to the airport by a passenger who intended to carry it on a flight. However, the passenger was denied permission by airline staff to take the item onboard.
Following this, the passenger reportedly left the box with airline staff. Later, the box was noticed by housekeeping personnel in the departure area, who flagged it as suspicious and informed DIAL security. DIAL security then alerted the local police.
