The passenger arrived at Terminal 3 of the airport on May 12 and was intercepted “based on profiling”, an official statement said. Photo Credit: X@AirportGenCus

According to the spokesperson, Swiss technical specialists will travel to Delhi to inspect the aircraft and initiate the next steps. Representational file image.
| Photo Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto

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A doctor based out of Gurugram has said his Apple Watch was stolen during a security check at Delhi airport. Dr Tushar Mehta has narrated the shocking sequence of events and how he got his watch back. In response, Delhi airport has assured a thorough probe and necessary action to prevent such incidents in the future.

In his long post on X, Dr Mehta said he put his Apple Watch in the tray during the security check. “The moment I crossed security, I started putting things back into my laptop bag. I could feel that something is missing & I realised I don’t have my watch. I asked the CISF guy standing there. He asked me to look again in my bag, pocket etc which I had already done,” he said.

“I turned around curiously & saw someone looking back at me while walking away. I didn’t care about what CISF guy was about to do or say & started walking for that guy. Few steps ahead I saw him standing at the @titanwatches Helios store on the left,” Dr Mehta said in his post.

Something strange & shocking happened today. I was at @DelhiAirport T3 a while ago at the security. I had put my Apple Watch in the tray for security check. The moment I crossed security, I started putting things back into my laptop bag. I could feel that something is missing & I…

— Dr Tushar Mehta (@dr_tushar_mehta) January 25, 2025

“I confronted him & forcibly put my hand over his trouser pocket and I could feel the watch. The sales guy standing at Helios came over towards me & behaved weirdly as it had nothing to do with him. Forcefully I took out my watch (I am glad I could and I did). The guy who took my watch & the Helios guy tried to confront me which made me realise that they knew each other from before. The Helios guy looped me in & meanwhile the other guy left the shop & escaped,” he said.

The orthopaedic surgeon added that he left the shop after an argument because he was getting late for the flight. “Meanwhile on the way to gate, a CISF guy came with the Helios guy & started asking me for my rude behaviour & asked to apologise,” he said.

The doctor then called a senior CISF official he treated in the past. “I took out my phone called a senior official who’s been a patient for few years & put the phone on speaker. The CISF official spoke to him very briefly & immediately left saying ‘theek hai sir, aap jao’. He went back accompanying the Helios Guy,” he said.

Dr Mehta said he was posting about his harrowing experience to spread awareness. “Please take care of your belongings at the security once you clear it.” He has named the two people he suspects to be involved in the theft as Shoaib and Md Saqib.

Dear Dr Tushar,
We sincerely regret the inconvenience caused. The theft of your Apple Watch and the subsequent events are being taken very seriously.
We assure you that we will take this matter up strongly with all relevant parties, including CISF and the concessionaire.(1/2)

— Delhi Airport (@DelhiAirport) January 25, 2025

Delhi Airport’s official handle said it regrets the inconvenience Dr Mehta faced. “The theft of your Apple Watch and the subsequent events are being taken very seriously. We assure you that we will take this matter up strongly with all relevant parties, including CISF and the concessionaire. Please be assured that the safety and security of our passengers are our top priority. We will investigate this incident thoroughly and take necessary actions to prevent such incidents in the future. Thank you for bringing this to our attention.”

The CISF’s airport security wing, too, has responded to the post and requested Dr Mehta to share his PNR and contact number so that they can probe the matter.

New Delhi:

Customs officials have seized 257 grams of gold, concealed inside a screwdriver carried in the luggage of a woman passenger at the international airport here, according to an official statement issued on Wednesday.

Based on profiling, a 20-year-old male passenger from Uttar Pradesh, travelling from Jeddah, was identified for surveillance, the statement said.

“He was observed escorting a female passenger in a wheelchair, who was travelling on the same flight from Riyadh to Delhi. Both passengers were intercepted at the exit of the Green Channel. During X-ray screening of the female passenger’s baggage, suspicious images were observed,” the customs department said in a post on X.

A detailed physical examination of the baggage revealed a “cylindrical-shaped yellow metal piece (gold) concealed inside a screwdriver, weighing approximately 257 grams,” it added, noting that the seized gold has been taken into custody.

The value of the seized gold is around Rs 18.62 lakh, officials said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

A thick blanket of smog continued to envelop Delhi and its adjoining National Capital Region (NCR) for the second consecutive day, with the air quality remaining ‘severe’ on Saturday. According to the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research, the air quality index (AQI) breached the 400 mark.

The visibility across the national capital dropped between zero and 200, likely disrupting flight operations.

The Delhi Airport issued an advisory for passengers today morning saying, “Low visibility procedures are in progress at Delhi Airport. All flight operations are presently normal. Passengers are requested to contact the airline concerned for updated flight information.”

However, it added, “While landings and take-offs continue at Delhi Airport, flights that are not CAT III compliant may get affected. Passengers are requested to contact the airline concerned for updated flight information. Any inconvenience caused is deeply regretted.”

Update issued at 06:00 hours.
Kind attention to all flyers!#DelhiAirport #FogAlert pic.twitter.com/oY6vMpch0t

— Delhi Airport (@DelhiAirport) January 11, 2025

At least 26 trains are running late today, officials said.

Over 100 flights were delayed at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport on Friday, while at least 30 trains were running late.

Visuals show the national capital covered in a blanket of smog.

#WATCH | Visibility reduced to zero as a blanket of dense fog witnessed in parts of Delhi-NCR

(Visuals from Subroto Park) pic.twitter.com/D2oxrkvaSZ

— ANI (@ANI) January 11, 2025

#WATCH | A dense fog envelops parts of Delhi-NCR

(Visuals from Akshardham area) pic.twitter.com/QX2BGSNOoM

— ANI (@ANI) January 11, 2025

Amid the worsening air quality, the Centre’s panel on Delhi-NCR’s air quality re-imposed Stage 3 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP). Under GRAP-3, private BS III petrol and BS IV diesel vehicles have been banned. According to the government, violators will face penalties under Section 194(1) of the Motor Vehicle Act, 1988, which translates to a fine of Rs 20,000.

Heavy rain likely today

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted heavy rainfall in Delhi over the weekend. According to the weather department, thunderstorms and lightning with dense fog will likely prevail over the national capital on Saturday and Sunday.

“Dense to very dense fog is likely at isolated places over east Uttar Pradesh, dense fog at isolated places over Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, and west Uttar Pradesh,” it added.

New Delhi:

Delhi airport operator DIAL on Friday said the four-decade-old Terminal 2 (T2) will be closed for four to six months in the next financial year for refurbishment works that are expected to be completed in the September quarter.

The Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) in the national capital, which is also the country’s busiest airport, has three terminals — T1, T2 and T3.

Currently, T1 and T2 are used only for domestic flights.

The refurbishment works of T2 are set to commence in 2025-26 with an expected completion date in Q2 of FY26, Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) said in a release.

The financial year starts from April 1, 2025.

“Terminal 2 will undergo a temporary shutdown for approximately 4 to 6 months to complete these improvements.

“The temporary closure of Terminal 2 is expected to cause minimal disruption to operations, as the newly developed Terminal 1 will absorb the additional load, ensuring continued service to passengers,” the release said.

T2 was constructed 40 years ago by the Airports Authority of India (AAI).

“The decades-old terminal will undergo significant upgrades aimed at elevating the passenger experience and increasing the airport’s capacity to meet future growth demands,” the release said.

DIAL CEO Videh Kumar Jaipuriar said the refurbishment of the four-decade-old T2 is the need of the hour.

He also said the overall passenger experience will be enhanced by upgrading key infrastructure, improving operational efficiency, and elevating passenger comfort.

“With the terminal’s projected passenger capacity expected to reach its peak by FY 2025-26, these enhancements will be crucial in supporting the growing demand for air travel, particularly for domestic passengers,” he noted.

The airport handles around 1,300 flight movements daily. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

Dense fog enveloped parts of the Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR) this morning, reducing visibility to zero and delaying more than 150 flights and about 26 trains.

Flight delays averaged 41 minutes, aviation website FlightRadar24 said.

The Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL), in an update this morning, said the flight departures have been “impacted” due to dense fog.

#WATCH | Visibility reduced to zero as a blanket of dense fog witnessed in parts of Delhi-NCR

(Visuals from Rajokri area) pic.twitter.com/Pw89P7oavt

— ANI (@ANI) January 10, 2025

The DIAL, however, reassured travellers that CAT III-compliant flights can land and depart from the airport. 

Update issued at 05:52 hours.
Kind attention to all flyers!#DelhiAirport #FogUpdate pic.twitter.com/XULkxIr9nh

— Delhi Airport (@DelhiAirport) January 10, 2025

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a moderate to very dense fog warning for many parts of North India, including Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan.

Hundreds of flights and trains have been cancelled or delayed due to thick fog in the past few weeks in North India.

The capital’s air quality index (AQI) was recorded at 408 around 6 am, dropping to the ‘severe’ category from ‘very poor’, according to the data on the Central Pollution Control Board website.

An AQI between zero and 50 is considered ‘good’, 51 and 100 ‘satisfactory’, 101 and 200 ‘moderate’, 201 and 300 ‘poor’, 301 and 400 ‘very poor’, and 401 and 500 ‘severe’.

According to the IMD, Delhi’s minimum temperature was recorded at 9.6 degrees Celsius.

The weather agency said the capital’s maximum and minimum temperatures would hover between 6 and 20 degrees Celsius on Friday.

Grap Stage 3 In Delhi-NCR

The Centre’s panel on Delhi-NCR’s air quality on Thursday re-implemented stage 3 curbs under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) amid a sharp rise in air pollution levels owing to unfavourable meteorological conditions.

Delhi’s air pollution levels showed an increasing trend with the 24-hour average air quality index (AQI) clocking 357 at 4 pm on Thursday, up from 297 on Wednesday.

The Commission for Air Quality Management, responsible for strategising air pollution mitigation in Delhi-NCR, directed authorities in the region to immediately implement curbs prescribed under stage 3 to prevent further worsening of the situation.

GRAP Stage 3, revoked on Sunday, entails a ban on non-essential construction work.

Classes up to grade V are required to shift to hybrid mode under Stage 3. Parents and students have the option to choose online education wherever available.

Under Stage 3, BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel cars (4-wheelers) are restricted in Delhi and nearby NCR districts. Persons with disabilities are exempt.

Stage 3 also bans non-essential diesel-operated medium goods vehicles with BS-IV or older standards in the national capital.

During winters, the Delhi-NCR region enforces restrictions under GRAP, which categorises air quality into four stages – Stage I (Poor, AQI 201-300), Stage II (Very Poor, AQI 301-400), Stage III (Severe, AQI 401-450), and Stage IV (Severe Plus, AQI above 450).

New Delhi:

Over 300 flights were delayed at the Delhi airport on Tuesday due to low visibility conditions.

An official said there were no flight diversions on Tuesday.

In a post on X at 5.20 pm, DIAL said runway visibility at Delhi airport has improved and all flights are operating normally.

Passengers are requested to contact their concerned airline for updated flight information, Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) said.

According to the official, more than 300 flights were delayed at the airport on account of low visibility conditions.

DIAL operates the national capital’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA), which handles around 1,300 flight movements every day.

Meanwhile, adverse weather conditions also impacted flight operations at other airports.

“Flights to/from Amritsar, Chandigarh and Patna continue to be impacted. We understand how this impacts your travel plans, and we truly wish wish the weather had been more favourable.

“We’re monitoring the situation closely and are hopeful for a return to normalcy as soon as the weather clears,” IndiGo said in a post on X at 6.28 pm.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

Two Brazilians were arrested at the international airport here for smuggling into the country cocaine worth Rs 20 crore , the customs department said on Sunday.

The accused, a male and a female from Brazil, were intercepted after their arrival from Sao Paulo via Paris on December 24.

“Upon enquiry, both the passengers admitted that they had ingested capsules/pellets containing some narcotic substances,” the customs said in a statement.

During the initial proceedings at the airport, both the passengers eased out some capsules containing narcotic substance, it said.

The accused were taken to Safdarjung hospital here “for suitable action to be taken for extraction/excretion of said capsules,” the statement said.

The entire medical extraction process lasted over several days and a total of 105 capsules were recovered from male passenger which in turn yielded 937 grams of cocaine, it said.

A total of 58 capsules, containing 562 grams of cocaine, were recovered from the woman passenger, the statement said.

The market value of the total of 1,399 grams of narcotic seized is estimated to be Rs 20.98 crore approximately, the customs said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)