AMRITSAR – The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) has arrested an Indo-American woman after recovering 25 live cartridges from her handbag at Sri Guru Ram Dass Ji International Airport.
The accused, Manjita Kaur Dhillon, was arrested while she was preparing to board a flight for New Delhi, said Suman Kumar, Deputy Commandant, CISF. He said from Delhi, Manjita was bound to take another flight for Pune today, and from Mumbai to Los Angles tomorrow.
Manjita was born in Indonesia while her grandparents belonged to Punjab. She owns construction business in the US. She arrived in India with an Indonesian group on February 7. Her visa expires on March 8.
During questioning, she feigned ignorance about the bullets in her handbag. She said she had come to attend a wedding at Nawanshahr. She claimed her brother had a dispute with his in-laws and they might have slipped the cartridges into her handbag.
The CISF authorities said besides 25 live cartridges, they also found an empty shell in her bag.
Manjita was handed over to the airport police.
Mohan Singh, Station House Officer, said the bullets bore ‘Made in America’ mark. “We asked her whether she had any documents or an arms licence. She could not produce any,” he said.
A case under various sections of the Arms Act has been registered. He said American Embassy officials at New Delhi had been informed about her arrest.
