Two US citizens were detained at Srinagar airport after security recovered a satellite communicator and GPS device from their luggage, officials said. One was identified as Jeffry Scott Prather, with the other a US citizen of Indian origin. They were handed over to Jammu and Kashmir Police following initial questioning.
Two US citizens were detained at Srinagar airport on Sunday after airport security recovered a satellite communicator and GPS device from a traveller's luggage during a standard security check, officials said.
The traveller was identified as Jeffry Scott Prather, a United States citizen. He was immediately detained along with his fellow traveller, a US citizen of Indian origin, police sources said. The pair was scheduled to board an Air India flight from Srinagar to New Delhi.
A Garmin satellite communicator and a Garmin GPS device, manufactured in Taiwan, were found in Prather’s luggage. The devices operate through the Iridium satellite network, providing global coverage including remote and high-altitude areas.
The use of satellite phones, including Thuraya and Iridium models, is prohibited in India without government permission. Illegal possession can result in fines, arrest, and seizure under the Indian Telegraph Act.
Police sources said authorities are investigating the purpose of their visit to Kashmir and the intended use of the satellite communicator and GPS device. The duo was handed over to Jammu and Kashmir Police after initial questioning by airport security.
