Passenger detained for trying to open emergency exit on flight at Varanasi airport

Varanasi: A passenger on an Akasa Air flight from Varanasi to Mumbai was detained after he allegedly tried to open the aircraft's emergency exit before takeoff, officials said on Tuesday.

The incident took place aboard flight QP 1497, which was scheduled to depart for Mumbai at 6:45 pm on Monday from Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport.

As the aircraft was taxiing towards the runway, the passenger, Sujit Singh, a resident of Gaura Badshahpur in Jaunpur district, attempted to open the emergency exit, police said.

Following an alert from the cabin crew, the pilot informed the Air Traffic Control (ATC) and brought the aircraft back to the apron.

Security personnel escorted all passengers off the plane and took Sujit Singh into custody for questioning, the police said.

Phoolpur Station House Officer (SHO) Praveen Kumar Singh said the passenger told investigators that he tried to open the exit "out of curiosity." Sujit Singh has been booked, the officer said.

The flight departed for Mumbai at around 7.45 pm after security clearance.