Bengaluru: Drunk flyer tries opening emergency door flap onboard IndiGo flight, case registered

The passenger was identified as one R Pratheek, 30. Credit: DH Photo

A drunk passenger on board an Indigo flight from Delhi to Bengaluru was detained for questioning in Bengaluru on Friday, for trying to open the flap of an emergency door in the aircraft in flight.

Police said a case has been registered but no arrest has been made.

The airline said the passenger’s action did not compromise the flight’s safe operation. The passenger has been identified as R Pratheek, 30, a native of Nawabganj in Kanpur. He was handed over to Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel by the flight crew on arrival at the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA). The flight, which took off from Delhi at 7.56 am, landed at KIA at 10.43 am.

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A source in the airline confirmed that a passenger in “an inebriated state” tried opening the flap of the emergency exit on flight 6E 308.

“On noticing this violation, the crew on board alerted the captain and the passenger was appropriately cautioned. There was no compromise on the safe operation of the said flight and the unruly passenger was handed over to CISF upon arrival in Bengaluru,” the airline said in a statement, in response to queries from DH.

KIA police registered a case, acting on a complaint by Tejaswi Shah, a member of the airline’s deck crew. The case has been registered under IPC Sections 290 (causing public nuisance) and 336 (endangering life or personal safety of others) and Section 11A of the Aircraft Act.

“KIA police have booked the passenger and a notice has been served to him,” Laxmi Prasad, Deputy Commissioner of Police, North East, said.