Monkey skull found in passenger's bag at Delhi airport

A purported monkey skull concealed inside the handbag of a passenger travelling from Delhi to Hyderabad was detected by CISF personnel at the Indira Gandhi International Airport, police said on Wednesday.

The incident took place on August 10, when the passenger was undergoing pre-boarding security screening at the airport, they said.

During the check, Central Industrial Security Force personnel detected a suspicious object concealed inside the passenger's hand baggage. On being questioned, the passenger claimed the object was a monkey skull, police said.

Given the nature of the recovered item and its suspected connection to wildlife, the passenger was handed over to police for further action, a senior police officer said.

The officer said the matter is being examined and that an opinion from the wildlife department is essential to establish the identity and nature of the recovered object. The department's assessment will also determine whether possession or transportation of the object amounts to a violation of the Wildlife (Protection) Act or any other applicable law, the officer said, adding that legal action would be initiated if any violation is established.

(Inputs from PTI)