In a dramatic episode on an Air India Express flight from Bengaluru to Surat, a 36-year-old city doctor was deboarded after reportedly threatening to crash the aircraft and behaving in a disorderly manner with cabin staff. The episode occurred on Tuesday afternoon. This has finally resulted in a written police complaint and several charges under aviation safety legislation.
The accused, Dr Vyas Hiral Mohanbhai, a resident of Yelahanka, allegedly made a scene as soon as she boarded the plane at approximately 2:45 pm.The tensions brewed when Dr Mohanbhai had dropped her bag at the front row and insisted that the cabin crew escort her to her seating position in the 20th row. When crew members asked Vyas why there was missing luggage, she turned aggressive and yelled that she would “crash the plane.”
The cabin crew promptly notified the pilot, who tried to resolve the situation. Even after intervention, Dr Mohanbhai was allegedly not cooperative or willing to be calmed down. In the interest of safety, the crew decided to offload her when the plane was about to depart from Kempegowda International Airport.
A policeman familiar with the case stated:
“Air travel requires composure and cooperation. Here, the passenger’s words and actions generated panic and also constituted a perceived risk to the safety of the flight.”
What are the sections responsible for?
Bengaluru International Airport Limited (BIAL) authority filed a case against the doctor. She has been booked under sections 351(4) (criminal intimidation by anonymous communication) and 353(1)(b) (statements constituting public mischief) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and Section 3(1)(a) of the Suppression of Unlawful Acts Against the Safety of Civil Aviation Act, which pertains to endangering aircraft safety.
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