NEW DELHI: A 33-year-old male passenger who allegedly attempted to open the emergency door of an IndiGo flight from Delhi to Pune while it was airborne has been booked by the police for endangering the lives of fellow passengers. His actions activated the door's electronic sensor, causing anxious moments for the crew on board.
The incident took place on board IndiGo flight 6E 6884, which took off from Indira Gandhi International Airport shortly after midnight on Monday (November 2), carrying more than 200 passengers. The Airbus A321 aircraft took off at 12.26 am, and the incident occurred within 20 minutes of departure.
Gaurav Satyendra Rautela, who was seated in seat 19D, next to the emergency exit, allegedly attempted to open the protective cover over the emergency door lever at around 12.45 am, according to an FIR registered against him at the Pune Airport police station on Monday evening. The complaint was filed by a senior security officer of IndiGo.
“Despite being aware that the lives and personal safety of the other passengers on the flight were in danger, he attempted to open the door,” the FIR stated.
The protective cover, usually made of plastic, is designed to prevent passengers from accidentally bumping into the door handle and triggering its opening mechanism. When the sensor is activated, it sends a safety alert to both the cockpit and the cabin.
The FIR has been registered under Section 25 of the Aircraft Act, 1937, which deals with unauthorised interference with aircraft equipment, and Section 125 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, which deals with acts that endanger human life or personal safety.
The flight landed safely at Pune airport.
An IndiGo source confirmed the incident. “The passenger was declared unruly and handed over to the relevant authorities as per standard procedures,” the source said.
A news agency quoted Pune Airport police station Senior Inspector Govind Pawar as saying that the passenger had attempted to open the lever cover out of curiosity and was unaware that it was connected to the emergency door.
