Hyderabad: An alleged attempt by a passenger to open the emergency door of an aircraft while it was preparing to take off created a scare at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Shamshabad in Telangana.
The incident occurred in the early hours of Friday when passengers were boarding the IndiGo flight to Kadapa, Andhra Pradesh.
After the airline staff alerted the authorities, the passenger was deboarded. He was later handed over to the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) Police.
According to police, during the boarding process, the passenger was shifted from the 9th row to the 2nd row, which is an emergency exit seating area. While settling in, he touched the emergency exit handle, triggering a security sensor alarm.
A case has been registered at the RGIA Police Station. The passenger told the police that he unintentionally touched the emergency exit handle. Further investigations were ongoing.
On August 6, a traveller allegedly damaged an emergency exit window panel and attempted to tamper with the emergency exit door while the aircraft was preparing to land at Kochi airport.
The incident occurred aboard Kuala Lumpur-Kochi Batik Air flight OD231. Police arrested the passenger, identified as Jamsheer Athanikkal.
He was booked under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Section 351 (criminal intimidation), the Aircraft Act Section 11A (failure to comply with any direction issued) and the Kerala Police Act Section 118(e) (knowingly does any act which causes danger to the public or failure in public safety).
The latest incident at RGIA came just a couple of days after the attack on the flydubai flight Captain by a co-pilot in an alleged attempt to hijack the Dubai-Tel Aviv flight.
The co-pilot was overpowered by some passengers who entered the cockpit after the pilot, Captain Smit Machchhar, raised an alarm. Two flydubai pilots travelling as passengers helped land the aircraft.
According to reports, the plane dropped 17,400 feet in just under two minutes. The flight was diverted to Tabuk airport in northern Saudi Arabia.
The Indian pilot, who was injured in the attack, is being hailed as a hero for thwarting the suspected hijacking attempt.