A passenger travelling on an IndiGo flight from Delhi to Pune allegedly tampered with the emergency exit door mechanism shortly after takeoff, triggering an alarm and causing concern among the aircraft crew. The incident occurred early Monday morning and has prompted police to register a case and launch an investigation.
The passenger has been identified as Gaurav Satyendra Rautela, 33, a resident of Saswad in Pune district. He was travelling on IndiGo flight 6E6884 and was seated at 19D, next to the emergency exit.
Passenger Claims He Acted Out of Curiosity
According to Senior Police Inspector Govind Pawar of the Airport Police Station, preliminary questioning revealed that the passenger claimed he had attempted to open the emergency door lever cover out of curiosity.
He reportedly said he was unaware that the cover was connected to the aircraft’s emergency exit mechanism.
As soon as he touched the cover, an alarm sounded inside the aircraft, alerting the cabin crew. The crew immediately took note of the incident.
IndiGo Crew Member Files Police Complaint
The incident took place around 12:45 AM on Monday, shortly after the aircraft departed from Delhi. The flight landed safely in Pune at approximately 2 AM.
Following the incident, IndiGo crew member Omkar Vinod Kulkarni lodged a police complaint against the passenger.
Police officials stated that tampering with an emergency exit mechanism could potentially endanger the lives of passengers and compromise aircraft safety. The alarm system is designed to alert the crew whenever such interference is detected.
Case Registered Under BNS and Aircraft Act
Police have issued a notice to the passenger under Section 35(3) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS).
A case has also been registered under Section 125 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Section 25 of the Aircraft Act.
Police said a similar incident had been reported in 2024 as well. Further investigation into the latest incident is underway.
