Srinagar: Bashir Ahmad Veeri, an MLA of the ruling National Conference, has said the cartridges found in his baggage at the Srinagar International Airport were of his licensed weapon. The MLA, who was travelling to the winter capital Jammu on an IndiGo flight, was reportedly detained on Sunday after the recovery.
"I have a licensed weapon. The cartridges were in the baggage by mistake," Veeri said in a video posted by NC on X. The MLA from Srigufwara-Bijbehara, however, claimed that he was not detained and the airport Security was only following its standard operating procedures.
"There was no detention, I was sitting there cordially. They have their own SOPs," Veeri said, blaming his opponents for "blowing the incident out of proportion". Veeri said he missed his flight to Jammu due to the incident and would now travel by road.
Veeri was travelling from Srinagar to Jammu, and during checking by the security forces deployed at the airport recovered two live rounds of pistol from his baggage. He had defeated Iltija Mufti, daughter and media advisor of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) President and former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti, from her home assembly constituency of Srigufwara-Bijbehara of Anantnag district, in the assembly elections.
He was proclaimed the winner with 9,770 votes. Iltija of the PDP, running as a first-time candidate, finished second with 23,529 votes. Sofi Yusuf of the BJP received 3,716 votes, placing third overall in the seat.
