New Delhi, June 27: A 40-year-old man has been apprehended by authorities for engaging in inappropriate behavior, including spitting, urinating, and defecating, on an Air India flight from Mumbai to Delhi. The accused, identified as Ram Singh, works as a cook in an African country. The incident occurred on June 24, as reported in the complaint filed by the flight’s captain.
The misconduct was initially observed by the cabin crew, who promptly issued a verbal warning to the passenger and isolated him from other travelers. The pilot-in-command was informed of the situation, and an immediate message was relayed to the airline.
Security personnel were requested to escort the unruly passenger upon arrival at Delhi’s airport. The disruptive incident caused agitation among several other passengers onboard the aircraft, as stated in the complaint.
Following the flight’s landing, a senior security official accompanied the accused to the IGIA (Indira Gandhi International Airport) police station, where a formal complaint was registered. The charges filed against the individual include sections 294 (related to obscene acts and songs) and 510 (misconduct in public by a drunken person) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
An Air India spokesperson expressed their condemnation of the passenger’s behavior, highlighting the airline’s zero tolerance policy towards such unacceptable conduct. The spokesperson stated, “A passenger on our flight AI866 operating Mumbai-Delhi on June 24 behaved in a repulsive manner, causing discomfort to the co-passengers. In doing their best to manage the situation in the circumstances, the crew immediately secluded the passenger for the rest of the flight and issued a warning.”
“The passenger was handed over to the security personnel upon landing in Delhi. A police complaint (FIR) was registered subsequently, as was the matter reported to the regulator. Air India follows a zero tolerance policy for such unruly and unacceptable behaviour. We are extending all cooperation to the ongoing investigations,” he added.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (IGIA) Devesh Kumar Mahla confirmed the arrest of the accused following an investigation. He clarified that the passenger had not spat on or urinated on any co-passenger but had engaged in misconduct elsewhere on the flight.
This incident comes after previous instances of disruptive behavior on flights, including an incident in April when a passenger allegedly urinated on a co-passenger. Similar incidents have occurred in the past, emphasizing the need for vigilance and measures to prevent such behavior on flights.
Airline authorities and law enforcement agencies are committed to maintaining the safety and comfort of passengers while taking stringent action against those who breach regulations and engage in unruly conduct during flights.
