British National Escapes Immigration At Delhi Airport; Police Launches Search

In a significant security breach at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport, a British national arriving from Bangkok allegedly fled the immigration area and escaped into the city, prompting a large-scale search operation, police said on Friday.

The incident took place on 28 October, when the passenger, identified as Fitz Patrick, a British citizen, landed in Delhi from Bangkok. According to PTI, Patrick had been scheduled for deportation to the United Kingdom via Thailand but managed to elude officials shortly after arrival.

Police said the passenger allegedly slipped away from the immigration zone before being formally processed and exited the airport premises undetected.

“A security lapse was reported at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport after a British national, who was to be deported to the UK via Thailand, escaped from the immigration area and entered the city. Delhi Police and security agencies have launched a search operation and filed an FIR while questioning airline staff,” a senior police officer said.

The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), which oversees airport security, has joined efforts with the Bureau of Immigration and Delhi Police to trace the fugitive. Officials said airport CCTV footage is being examined to reconstruct the sequence of events and identify possible lapses that enabled the escape, reported PTI.

A case has been registered under the relevant sections at the local police station, and multiple teams have been deployed across the National Capital Region (NCR) to track potential hideouts and exit routes, police added.

Further investigation is underway to determine Patrick’s background, motive, and current whereabouts, a senior officer said.

(With inputs from PTI)