Agartala, Nov 12 (IANS): The Tripura Police Saturday began an inquiry into the recovery of a bullet from the baggage of Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi's aide and Youth Congress leader Anil Dhantori at the airport here.

"Police have begun investigation over the recovery of the bullet from the baggage of Dhantori under section 157 (a) of the CrPc (Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973)," police officer Babul Das told reporters.

"This is suspected to be a cognizable offence and that's why the police invokes this section of the CrPc," he added.

Dhantori, also a member of the Haryana assembly, came to Tripura early this week to oversee Gandhi's programme in the state Thursday.

He was detained by the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) at the Agartala airport Thursday evening after the recovery of a pistol bullet from his hand baggage when he was about to board a Delhi-bound private aircraft.

Police said: "The CISF, following the persuasion of the local Congress leaders, released Dhantori without handing him over to the Tripura Police."

Das said: "The CISF, in a letter to the police, said the Youth Congress leader was released under the BCA (Bureau of Civil Aviation) rules."

Meanwhile, the ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) led Left Front has demanded a thorough investigation into the incident and proper action against the law-breakers.

CISF troopers following the pressure of the local Congress leaders have released Dhantori "illegally", a Left Front statement said.

Tripura Congress spokesman Tapas Dey said: "Dhantori has an arms license. Convinced by all facts, the CISF have released him. This is not an issue of politics."

Gandhi, accompanied by other party leaders, arrived in Tripura Thursday from Nagaland via Assam's main city of Guwahati.

He addressed several meetings Wednesday in Nagaland and Thursday in Tripura. He left here for New Delhi later Thursday evening by a special aircraft.