The two-member US Citizen Services team outside Jharpada Jail in Bhubaneswar on Friday. Picture by Ashwinee Pati

Bhubaneswar, Sept. 20: A two-member team of the US Citizen Services from the office of the United States’ consulate-general in Hyderabad today met the American engineer, William M. Hurtubise, in Jharpada jail.

Hurtubise was arrested on Wednesday from the Biju Patnaik Airport for carrying eight .22 calibre bullets in his bag. The engineer was caught moments before he was to board a helicopter for Paradip.

The team, consisting of deputy chief of the US Citizen Services Sutton Meagher and staff member Chitra Suman, held talks with Hurtubise for about an hour.

Though they refused to speak to reporters, sources said their purpose was to enquire about Hurtubise’s condition in jail.

Sources said Hurtubise had urged the team members to bail him out at the earliest.

He told them that the jail authorities were not treating him well. A jail insider said that the American also complained about the behaviour of the prison staff and mosquitoes in his cell.

However, repeated attempts to contact jail officials went in vain.

Later, the team went to the office of deputy commissioner of police Nitinjeet Singh and held discussions with him on the issue. “The team members told us that it was legal to carry ammunition on flights in the US,” said a senior police official.

On the other hand, the attempt of the police to ascertain whether the bullets had been procured from the US or from the city has raised eyebrows.

“The police should not go by his claim that he possesses a valid licence for arms and ammunition. They must investigate whether the man has a valid licence,” said criminal lawyer Prashant Patnaik.

Hurtubise, who was going to Paradip for inspecting a ship, said he had forgotten that there were bullets in his bag before leaving his country.