IIT-M research student attempts to open emergency door on Chennai-Durgapur IndiGo flight, causes chaos
Flight bound for Durgapur (West Bengal) from Chennai with 164 people onboard (158 passengers and 6 crew members), was preparing for departure.
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CHENNAI: A West Bengal-bound IndiGo flight was subjected to tension and delay after a passenger's 'accidental' attempt to open the emergency exit door on Sunday.
The flight, scheduled to depart for Durgapur in West Bengal, was preparing for takeoff from the city airport with 158 passengers and six crew members on Sunday evening. A sudden emergency alarm blaring in the cockpit indicated an attempt to tamper with the emergency door.
An immediate check-in by the cabin crew revealed that a passenger near the door, Sarkar (27) of Hyderabad, had tried to operate the handle.
Following this, the airport security personnel were called on board, and Sarkar was questioned about his actions.
It was revealed that Sarkar, an IIT Madras research student, was travelling to Durgapur for personal work. He asserted he accidentally pressed the emergency release button, and he had moved his hand before the door could be deployed. Not satisfied with his explanation, the airline and security personnel deboarded Sarkar, cancelled his ticket and returned his checked-in baggage.
Subsequently, Sarkar was handed over to the Chennai Airport police by the IndiGo security team. A case has been registered and further investigations into the incident are under way. After a security sweep, the flight took off to Durgapur approximately an hour behind schedule with the remaining 157 passengers.
