HYDERABAD: Panic gripped security officials at RGIA Shamshabad after a passenger’s mobile phone exploded while being scanned at the departure section.

Airport officials detained passenger Laxman Prasad, who was about to board a flight to Raipur, Chhattisgarh, with the backpack containing the phone. His details were collected for further investigation, police sources said.

Airport authorities subsequently instructed air traffic control to hold domestic flights pending clearance. Passengers were required to wait until approval was granted by the authorities.

Following the blast, CISF personnel at the domestic departure counter alerted airport security after spotting the damaged, burnt phone and initially suspected it to be a bomb, sources disclosed.

Authorities immediately checked the bag apart with BD equipment and sniffer dogs. It was later confirmed that the mobile phone had burnt due to a technical fault. Such blasts, though rare, highlight the risks of faulty lithium ion batteries in electronic devices. Airports typically treat any unexplained blast as a potential security threat until verified. RGIA outpost police seized the device and sent it to the Forensic Science Laboratory.

Such incidents, though rare, highlight the risks of faulty lithium ion batteries in electronic devices. Airports typically treat any unexplained blast as a potential security threat until verified.