New Delhi, India – A 32-year-old Canadian tourist was apprehended at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport in New Delhi on Friday for possessing horns of an unidentified animal in her luggage, police officials reported on Sunday. The woman, who was on her way to Montreal, Canada, claimed that she found the horns during a trek in Ladakh and decided to take them back to Canada.
The incident occurred around 9 PM when airport security detected suspicious items during a baggage check. Officials from the Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL), the airline staff, and the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) conducted a physical inspection of the woman’s luggage, revealing two horns. The Delhi forest and wildlife department indicated that the horns appear to belong to a native bull species, but they will be sent to the Forest Research Institute (FRI) in Dehradun for confirmation.
According to an airport official, “To possess any wildlife items, special documents are required, which she did not possess. Customs were informed and the forest department of Delhi was also called in to inspect them.” The woman, who has not been arrested but is not allowed to fly back to Canada, was unable to produce any documentation for the horns.
Rajesh Tandon, deputy range officer (west) of the forest department, stated that the horns could belong to a bull or Yak species from Ladakh, but final confirmation will be made by FRI. He added, “This is likely an animal that could be part of Schedule 2 of the Wildlife Protection Act. The woman told us she found these horns in Ladakh where she had travelled to recently from Delhi. She says she did not buy them, but simply found them while trekking and decided to bring them with her.”
Delhi Police at the IGI airport confirmed that a first information report had been registered against the woman, and she has been “bound down by law.” A senior police officer mentioned, “We have initiated legal action against her as part of the Wildlife Protection Act and she will have to appear for a probe as and when asked. At present, she is not flying back to Canada.”
Section 39 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act prohibits the possession and transport of trophies of any scheduled species without proper authorization. Wildlife trophies, including animal parts such as skulls or skin, are often kept by trophy hunters as souvenirs.
This incident follows a similar case in March when a flier bound for New York was held at the IGI airport for carrying an antelope skull. The species are protected under Sections 1 and 2 of the Wildlife Act, and a case was registered against the individual.
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