Shooter denied permission to board with rifle

Shooter Dishant Dey was on Thursday subjected to harassment by a major airline which denied him permission to carry his rifle while travelling to Thiruvananthapuram for the National Championship.

The 65th National Shooting Championship Competitions in rifle events will be held at Vattiyoorkkavu Shooting Range in Thiruvananthapuram from November 20 to December 9.

Dey had booked himself on Indigo Airline.

''Pure harassment at @GuwahatiAirport by @IndiGo6E Dishant Dey is trying to travel to Trivandrum by flight 6E5226 to participate in the 65th Shooting Nationals & despite having all necessary documents to carry his Air Rifle with him, the airline is refusing permission,'' the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) tweeted.

Backing the shooter, the sport's governing body in the country added, ''Save a sporting career. The athlete and his mother are at the airport with no help forthcoming.''