Kirti Azad allegedly detained for two hours at Heathrow for 'suspicious surname'

Kirti Azad

Former India player and member of the 1983 World Cup winning squad Kirti Azad was today allegedly detained at the Heathrow Airport in London for two hours before being allowed to board a Delhi-bound flight.


According to one of his office assistants, Azad was allegedly detained as the security officials at the airport found his surname to be suspicious.

"He (Azad) informed us about being detained for two hours at the Heathrow after which he was allowed to board the flight back to India. He said that the authorities were suspicious about his last name 'Azad'," his office assistant said.

Sources close to Azad said that despite having a diplomatic passport, he was stopped from boarding the flight and questioned by the security agencies after they got suspicious of a bottle of water carried by him in which he had "mixed his medicine".

Sources said they checked the bottle and its contents and asked him to show all his documents before he was allowed to board the flight after detailed questioning. 

Azad, a BJP Member of Parliament, could not be reached for his comments as he was on his flight back to India.