The 26-year-old passenger of the IndiGo flight allegedly tried to open the emergency exit door. It was moments before landing at the Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport in Varanasi on Saturday evening. According to a HT report, he was later detained by the police.
The incident took place on IndiGo flight 6E-185 from Bengaluru to Varanasi. As the plane approached the runway around 10:20 p.m., a passenger reportedly tried to open the emergency exit door.
The pilot immediately made a pass. He aborted the landing and returned the aircraft to the air. The flight later landed safely at approximately 10:35 p.m. The incident caused panic among the more than 100 passengers on board.
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Officials revealed that the passenger had previously attempted to tamper with the emergency exit. It was shortly after taking off from Bengaluru. At that time, however, it was restricted by the cabin crew.
After landing, Adnan was handed over to the airline security guard, CISF. He was subsequently handed over to the local police.
During interrogation, he initially claimed to be under the “influence of a spirit”. He later stated that he was not aware that pressing the emergency exit button could open the door.
Based on a complaint filed by IndiGo’s security official, he was booked under Section 125 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, according to HT. The section refers to conduct threatening the life or personal safety of other persons.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Akash Patel confirmed that a notice had been served on the passenger. The accused is not in custody.
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“After questioning, a notice was served on the accused passenger. He was later handed over to his parents. Investigation is on,” HT quoted DSP Patel as saying.
‘ghost’ defense
Claims of “spirit possession” have been tested in courts across India and beyond. Depending on the facts of each case, the results have been mixed.
There was a landmark case, State of Orissa vs Ram Bahadur Thapa (1959). A Nepali man who assaulted women thinking they were ghosts has been acquitted by the Odisha High Court. The court held that he acted in good faith based on a genuine mistake of fact.
Similarly, in Sanjay Nagorao Pote vs State of Maharashtra (2018), a man killed a relative during an exorcism. He was granted the defense of insanity under Section 84 of the IPC. The court found that he failed to understand the nature of his act.
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However, the courts are not always sympathetic. In Mohammed Furkhan vs Maharashtra (2003) the claim for possession was rejected. The court found that it was used to conceal a criminal motive.
In the historic Hammersmith Ghost Murder Case (1804) in London, a man shot someone he mistook for a ghost. He was convicted of murder despite his sincere convictions.
In the IndiGo flight incident, investigators are likely to focus on psychological evaluation. It will also assess whether the accused really lacked awareness of his actions.
Courts usually require the accused to prove his state of delusion. Any hint of an ulterior motive may result in the defense being dismissed outright.
