Man assaults cabin crew, tries to open flight’s door shortly after takeoff

Shortly after takeoff from Kozhikode, Abdul Musavir woke up and made his way towards the back of the aircraft. After this, he allegedly thrashed a cabin crew and attempted to open the plane’s door.

The accused was arrested after the flight landed at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA).

New Delhi: A 25-year-old man was arrested by the Mumbai Police after he allegedly assaulted the cabin crew and tried to open the door of an Air India Express flight. The flight, which was going from Kozhikode to Bahrain, had to make an emergency landing in Mumbai.

The accused, Abdul Musavir Nadukandee of Kerala, was arrested after the flight landed at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) on Saturday, according to an official from Sahar police.

Shortly after takeoff from Kozhikode, Abdul Musavir woke up and made his way towards the back of the aircraft. After this, he allegedly thrashed a cabin crew and attempted to open the plane’s door, a police official said.

When the cabin crew brought him back to his seat, Nadukandee started hurling abuses and assaulted other passengers, and threatened to open the emergency door, the official said.

Sensing a security threat, the pilot was forced to make an emergency landing at CSMIA. The security officials were also alerted.

Nadukandee was arrested and booked under sections 336 (act endangering life), 504 (provocation to breach of the peace), 506 (criminal intimidation), and 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) of the Indian Penal Code, as well as relevant provisions of the Aircraft Act.

Similar incident

Recently, Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) police registered a case against a 22-year-old man from West Bengal for trying to open the emergency exit door of a flight while it was midair. It happened on IndiGo’s Kolkata – Bengaluru flight. The crew handed over the person to security officials after the plane landed.

The accused was booked under section 336 (the act of endangering life or personal safety of others) of the Indian Penal Code. The man was caught by the cabin crew trying to open the door even before the flight landed.  Later, the man claimed that he was travelling on a flight for the first time and was not aware of the rules.