Mumbai: A-38-year-old man was apprehended by the Sahar police for allegedly smoking aboard an IndiGo aircraft en route from Delhi to Mumbai.
The incident has raised concerns about in-flight safety. The accused has been identified as Khalil Khan, a resident of Fatehpur, Uttar Pradesh, was taken into custody upon the flight’s arrival at Mumbai airport.
Khan, an employee at a Bhiwandi-based factory, was traveling for work purposes. His journey began in Lucknow, from where he flew to Delhi before boarding the Mumbai-bound flight.
The incident occurred on June 26 aboard IndiGo flight 6E864, which departed Delhi at 5:17 PM with 176 passengers on board. Approximately 53 minutes into the flight, at around 6:10 PM, cabin crew members detected a strong odor of cigarette smoke emanating from one of the lavatory.
Upon inspection, a crew member discovered incriminating evidence in the lavatory’s waste bin – a discarded cigarette butt and a used matchstick. The staff member promptly documented the find with a photograph. When confronted, Khan admitted to smoking inside the aircraft’s lavatory.
Following the incident, IndiGo staff filed a formal complaint against Khan. The charges include violations under Section 336 of the Indian Penal Code, which pertains to acts endangering life or personal safety of others, as well as Section 22 of the Aircraft Act, which specifically addresses the prohibition of smoking on aircraft.
