Lucknow, May 1 -- A man was detained at Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport on Friday morning after a 12-bore country-made firearm was recovered from his checked-in luggage during routine pre-boarding screening, triggering a wider investigation into possible arms smuggling links.

The incident has prompted heightened scrutiny at airport security checkpoints, with officials treating the case as a serious breach given the international travel route involved.

The passenger, Mahesh Kumar Chauhan (a resident of Chandpur Lakhpat Rai in Gonda district), was scheduled to travel to Dubai on Air India flight IX 193 when security personnel flagged the anomaly.

Airport security staff immediately intercepted the luggage and alerted senior o...