TMC councillor Amirul Sheikh Islam arrested 7 months after bullets and pistol magazine found at Kolkata airport
The Statesman | 6 May 2026
On 21 September 2025, security staff at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport noticed something unusual during a baggage scan. The bag belonged to Amirul Sheikh Islam, a councillor of Pujali Municipality in Budge Budge and a member of the Trinamool Congress.
Officials from the Central Industrial Security Force, who are responsible for airport security, found an empty pistol magazine and six rounds of 7.65mm bullets inside his handbag. Islam was about to board a flight to Mumbai when the items were detected.
He was immediately stopped and taken aside for questioning. Security personnel then handed him over to the airport police station for further action. What began as a routine scan quickly raised concerns, as carrying such items without proper documents is a serious offence.
During questioning, Islam reportedly told officials that he had a valid arms licence. He asked for time to produce the necessary documents to justify why he was carrying the ammunition and magazine.
According to a senior officer from the Bidhannagar Commissionerate, Islam was given seven days to submit proof because he is a public representative. He also submitted a written declaration during this period.
However, even after deadline passed, he failed to provide any valid documents to support his claim.
Following this, a case was registered at airport police station under the Arms Act. Despite the seriousness of the matter, no immediate arrest was made at that time, and the case remained under investigation.
Seven months later, on a Tuesday night, police finally arrested Islam. The arrest was carried out by a team from the Bidhannagar Commissionerate.
Meanwhile, the political backdrop in West Bengal has also seen major changes. The Bharatiya Janata Party recently defeated the Trinamool Congress in the state assembly elections, winning 207 out of 293 seats. One seat, Falta, is set for a repoll on May 21, as the state has a total of 294 constituencies.
The BJP is expected to announce its new cabinet on May 9.