A Vistara flight from Mumbai to Delhi experienced a delay of four hours on Thursday due to an incident involving a male passenger who had to be deplaned and subsequently arrested for shouting ‘hijack’ just before take-off. Following standard operating procedure (SOP), the authorities conducted a search of the plane before granting fresh clearance for departure.
A Vistara spokesperson emphasised that the airline immediately informed the authorities and handed over the passenger, identified as Ritesh Sanjaykumar Juneja. The SOP required a comprehensive check of the aircraft, which was performed before the flight could proceed with the remaining passengers.
Following a complaint from the flight crew, Juneja was arrested on a Vistara flight scheduled to depart from Mumbai at 6:30 pm.
As a result, the flight experienced a delay, departing at 10:30 pm. The airline spokesperson confirmed the incident involving an unruly passenger on Vistara flight UK 996, which was intended to operate from Mumbai to Delhi.
The incident occurred as the flight was preparing for departure, prompting suspicion and necessitating the deboarding of all passengers for a detailed inspection of both the aircraft and the passengers involved.
Claim of mental instability
Juneja claimed to be mentally ill, as reported by the police. An unnamed police officer stated that Juneja attributed his behavior to mental instability, which resulted in the shouting that took place during the flight.
“He claims to be unstable, due to which he had such a conversation on the flight,” the police officer said, as per media reports.
The authorities have registered a case under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code, including Section 336, which pertains to endangering the life or personal safety of others. The matter is currently under investigation, as per the officer.
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Safety measures and zero-tolerance policy
Due to the incident, additional checks were conducted on all passengers and their handbags before the flight could proceed. Vistara reiterated its commitment to a zero-tolerance policy against unruly behavior that jeopardises the safety and security of its customers and staff.
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