TMC councillor arrested 7 months after ammo found at Kolkata airport
A Trinamool Congress (TMC) councillor was arrested on Wednesday, 6 May 2025, under the Arms Act 1959, nearly seven months after a magazine and six rounds of ammunition were detected in his bag at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata. The accused, Amirul Sheikh Islam, represents Ward No. 14 of Pujali Municipality under Diamond Harbour subdivision in South 24 Parganas district, West Bengal.
What Happened at the Airport
On 21 September 2025, airport security scanners flagged Islam's bag as he attempted to board a flight. The scan revealed a pistol magazine and six live rounds of ammunition. He was detained on the spot by law enforcement personnel.
Islam reportedly claimed at the time that he held a valid firearm licence and proper authorisation to carry the items, but insisted he did not have the documents on him at that moment. He assured police he would furnish the paperwork subsequently, and was allowed to leave on that verbal assurance — a decision that later drew significant public scrutiny.
Months of Delays and Police Inaction Allegations
According to investigators, police issued repeated reminders to Islam over the following months, asking him to produce the claimed documents. He failed to respond or appear before authorities on every occasion.
The prolonged delay sparked allegations that law enforcement had deliberately gone easy on Islam owing to his political stature as an influential councillor in a key municipality under the Diamond Harbour subdivision — a constituency long associated with TMC strongholds in South Bengal. Critics argued the case illustrated a pattern of selective enforcement when the accused carries political affiliations.
Fresh FIR and Arrest
With Islam having failed to submit any documentation, police eventually registered a fresh First Information Report (FIR) and launched a new investigation. The arrest on Wednesday followed directly from that fresh case.
