A troubling incident aboard IndiGo flight 6E661 from Thiruvananthapuram to Bengaluru has sparked a criminal investigation after a 5-year-old girl’s 20-gram gold necklace, valued at around $30,000, went missing mid-air.

On April 1, flight attendant Aditi Ashwini Sharma allegedly took custody of the child during a brief in-flight disturbance. Her mother, Priyanka Mukherjee, claimed that when the child was returned upon landing, the necklace was gone. Sharma has denied any wrongdoing.

Mukherjee reported the incident to the CISF, airport officials, and local police. However, she stated that initial responses were slow and unclear. One major hurdle in the investigation: the lack of in-flight CCTV footage.

A case has been registered and investigations are underway, but no arrests have been made. IndiGo, in a statement, confirmed it is cooperating with authorities and emphasized its seriousness in handling such complaints. The airline has not revealed whether the crew member in question has been suspended.

Past In-Flight Theft Cases Raise Concern

This case echoes previous incidents involving airline staff:

  • In 2018, a 37-year-old Egyptian Emirates crew member was charged with stealing $7,656 from passengers who briefly left their business class seats. Forensics linked his fingerprints to the crime.

  • In another case, a New Zealand couple lost over $4,000 in cash during a flight from Paris to Dubai after visiting the bar area.

These incidents highlight growing concerns around passenger safety and the need for better surveillance aboard aircraft.

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