Coimbatore: A live bullet was found lodged in the outer sole of a boot worn by a passenger at Coimbatore International Airport on Sunday.

The bullet was discovered during a routine security check by the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF). The passenger, Shibu Mathew (48), a native of Nedumbassery in Kerala, was scheduled to board an IndiGo flight to Abu Dhabi at 2.25 pm.

According to officials, a 0.22 mm live round was found stuck in one of the grooves on the outer sole of his boot. Shibu, who has been working for an insurance company in Abu Dhabi for the past ten years, claimed he had no knowledge of how the bullet got there.

Following the discovery, CISF personnel stopped him from boarding the flight and handed him over to the Peelamedu police. A case has been registered and an investigation is underway.