Varanasi: A male passenger triggered panic on an IndiGo flight from Bengaluru to Varanasi as he tried to open the emergency exit door mid-air.
As other passengers panicked, the pilot was forced to abort landing at one point.
The incident took place on flight 6E-185, which departed Bengaluru at 8.15 pm on Saturday. The passenger, identified as Mohammad Adnan from UP’s Mau district, attempted to unlock the emergency exit around 15 minutes after take-off.
As cabin crew members intervened promptly, Adnan claimed it was a mistake. He remained calm after being warned, but shortly before landing at Varanasi’s Lal Bahadur Shastri International
Airport, Adnan was at it again. This time, it led to a more serious situation.
With the aircraft flying at a low altitude of about 500 feet, Adnan tried to open the emergency exit door once again at around 10.20 pm. The pilot was immediately informed, and he aborted the landing and undertook a go-around as a safety measure.
The shaken passengers breathed a sigh of relief as the plane landed safely at around 10.35 pm.
Soon after the flight landed, Adnan was handed over to airline security personnel and the CISF. Police were informed, and a case was registered against him.
During questioning, Adnan first said he did not know why he behaved in that manner. He later claimed that he was “possessed by a ghost”.
He told officials he was returning from a holiday in Goa and was unaware that the handle he pulled operated the emergency exit door, NDTV reported.
“Our investigation is on and the accused is still being questioned. His family, which lives in Mau, has been informed, and they are on way to Varanasi,” a police official said.