The length of the kirpan’s blade should not exceed 15.24 cms or 6 inches and the total length should be not more than 22.86 cms or 9 inches, as per Bureau of Civil Aviation Security.
“The exception stands for Sikh passengers only and, no stakeholder or its employees at the airport (including Sikh) and working in any terminal, domestic or international, shall be allowed to carry Kirpan in person,” read the BCAS statement.
Because of the new restriction, a Sikh employee wearing a kirpan was recently prevented from fulfilling his duties at Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport in Amritsar, which Sikh organisations objected to.