Gayaji: A young man attempting to board a flight to Bangkok using a forged passport was arrested by immigration officials at Gaya International Airport on Friday, prompting renewed scrutiny of security coordination at the airport.
The accused has been identified as Rajeshwar Shahi, a resident of Deoria district in Uttar Pradesh. Immigration officers detected irregularities in his travel document during routine checks, following which he was detained and later handed over to the local police.
During interrogation, police said Shahi admitted that his original passport had lapsed due to non-renewal and was subsequently cancelled. Instead of applying afresh through official channels, he allegedly procured a fake passport in Deoria. He also told investigators that he had earlier travelled to Thailand using the same forged document and had worked at a clothing store there.
The Magadh Medical police station registered a case against him, and he was produced before a court, which remanded him to judicial custody. He is currently lodged in Gaya Central Jail.
“This young man was trying to travel abroad with a forged passport. A case has been registered and he has been sent to jail following court orders,” said Krishna Kumar, station house officer of Magadh Medical police station.
The incident has also highlighted gaps in coordination among agencies operating at the airport. Airport Director Awadhesh Kumar said the immigration department did not inform either the airport authority or the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) after detaining the suspect. Officials became aware of the incident only when the police arrived to take custody of the accused.
The arrest comes amid heightened concern over illegal international travel routes through Gaya. In November, authorities intercepted 19 passengers over three days, including 12 nationals linked to Cambodia, along with travellers from other countries, attempting to leave India using irregular documentation.
