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Passenger tampers with emergency exit on Pune flight, booked

According to Pune airport police, the incident occurred aboard flight 6E6884, which departed Delhi at around 12.45 am on November 2 and landed safely at Pune’s Lohegaon Airport at approximately 2 am

Published on: Nov 3, 2026, 22:55:43 IST
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A 33-year-old passenger was booked for allegedly tampering with an aircraft’s emergency exit mechanism aboard an IndiGo flight from Delhi to Pune shortly after take-off on Monday, triggering an alarm and raising safety concerns.

The passenger, identified as Gaurav Rawate, a resident of Saswad, was seated near the emergency exit when he tampered with the protective cover of the door lever, triggering the alarm. (FILE)
The passenger, identified as Gaurav Rawate, a resident of Saswad, was seated near the emergency exit when he tampered with the protective cover of the door lever, triggering the alarm. (FILE)

According to Pune airport police, the incident occurred aboard flight 6E6884, which departed Delhi at around 12.45 am on November 2 and landed safely at Pune’s Lohegaon Airport at approximately 2 am. The passenger, identified as Gaurav Rawate, a resident of Saswad, was seated near the emergency exit when he tampered with the protective cover of the door lever, triggering the alarm.

“During questioning, the passenger claimed that he had touched the cover out of curiosity to find out what it was, without realising that it was connected to the emergency exit mechanism. The alarm went off after he touched it. Interference with such a safety mechanism can endanger the lives of everyone on board, as it could affect the functioning of the emergency exit,” said Govind Jadhav, senior police inspector, Airport police station.

After the aircraft landed, Rawate was handed over to the airport police. IndiGo crew member Omkar Kulkarni lodged a complaint, following which police registered a case against the passenger under Section 125 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Section 25 of the Aircraft Act.

Police served Rawate a notice under Section 35(3) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS). IndiGo sources said Rawate was declared an unruly passenger following the incident and handed over to the authorities after landing, in accordance with the airline’s standard operating procedures (SOPs).

  • Dheeraj Bengrut
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Dheeraj Bengrut

    Dheeraj Bengrut is a Principal Correspondent with Hindustan Times, Pune, with over 15 years of experience in journalism. He covers transport, infrastructure, urban development and civic governance, with a focus on public policy and citizen-centric issues. His reporting spans railways, aviation, roads, public transport and major infrastructure projects across Maharashtra.Read More