Varanasi: A Swiss national was stopped at Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport on Saturday after CISF detected a satellite phone in his possession. He was allowed to board his flight for Mumbai after the phone was seized.ACP Pindra Prateek Kumar said CISF personnel stopped Andre Cyril Neuvenschwander (34), from Lucerne, Switzerland, at the airport’s holding area for carrying a prohibited satellite phone. He was handed over to Phulpur police for further probe, with multiple agencies investigating. Andre, a valid visa holder, was let off with a written apology after claiming he wasn’t aware sat phones are banned in India. After thorough questioning, agencies and police found no suspicious activity linked to the sat phone. He was allowed to leave with his girlfriend and fly out to Mumbai. An investigation revealed Andre, an engineer, quit his job in Sep 2025 for a world tour. He entered India on Jan 29, via Delhi, and visited Rajasthan and Agra. He later visited Varanasi, where he stayed near Assi Ghat. He toured Sarnath, Kashi Vishwanath Dham, and Ramnagar Fort before getting caught at the airport.
