Security lapse at airport: Bag with inflammable liquid catches fire

MUMBAI: In a major security lapse at Terminal 2 of the Chhattrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport on Friday morning, a bag of a passenger caught fire at T2 Terminal while it was being loaded on an Addis Ababa-bound Ethiopian Airlines flight.
The police are now investigating why the bag, containing inflammable chemicals, was not examined by the security personnel. The bag caught fire on the ramp as it was being transported from the baggage area to the aircraft.
Sahar police registered a case and arrested five people in the case, including bag owner, Sameer Biswas, 32, who claimed that the liquid hydrogen peroxide and titanium dioxide powder that were inside the bag was meant for manufacturing soaps.
“The passenger is from West Bengal and was headed to Addis Ababa in Ethiopian Airlines flight ET 641. He was deboarded immediately,” said a police officer. “We have arrested four others who, Biswas claimed, had handed the chemicals to him.”
A statement by Ethiopian Airlines mentioned that “the aircraft was dispatched following the standard safety procedures as nothing had happened at the aircraft side. We will provide updates as more information becomes available.”