A 34‑year‑old Indian‑origin American national was taken into custody in Bengaluru after hotel staff found live ammunition and a Ruger magazine in his room, police confirmed on May 19, 2026.

The incident traces back to April 27, when Arman Mutaahar, a US‑based non‑resident Indian (NRI), checked into the Jayamahal Palace Hotel in the JC Nagar area of Bengaluru using his passport. He checked out the next morning, but shortly thereafter called the hotel and said he’d left behind a magazine containing live bullets.

Hotel staff inspected the room and found a Ruger magazine loaded with seven live rounds of ammunition. Repeated calls to Mutaahar asking him to return went unanswered, prompting the hotel manager to file a complaint with JC Nagar Police on May 6.

Police summoned Mutaahar later that day for questioning. During the inquiry, he admitted to possessing the ammunition without proper authorisation. Officers seized the magazine, the bullets, his passport, phone, laptop, and related documents, and registered a case under the Arms Act of India.

A Bengaluru police official said authorities are now investigating why the ammunition was in India and whether any customs or aviation regulations were bypassed. “We are verifying his travel history and the purpose for which he brought the ammunition into the country,” the officer added.

Mutaahar was produced before a court on May 7, remanded to police custody, and later moved to Parappana Agrahara Central Prison on judicial custody after a subsequent hearing on May 14.

This case underscores gaps in monitoring unauthorised ammunition importation and highlights hotel room safety protocols in major Indian cities where foreign and domestic travellers alike lodge daily — a public safety concern police say they are taking seriously.