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First-time flyer smokes 'beedi' on Akasa Air flight; arrested
The passenger has been booked on charges of endangering the lives of others, police said.
A 56-year-old man, who boarded a flight from Ahmedabad to Bengaluru by Akasa Air, was arrested at the Kempegowda International Airport on Tuesday on charges of smoking a 'beedi' (local cigarette) mid-air, news agency PTI reported.
The incident came to light when the crew members found the accused, who hails from Rajasthan's Marwar region, smoking inside the lavatory. The flight attendant swiftly swung into action, held him and, on reaching Bengaluru, handed him over to the police.
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During the interrogation, the passenger admitted smoking on the plane, claiming that he was unaware of the rules and regulations as he boarded the plane for the first time. He added that during train travels, he smoked in toilets and tried the same on the plane.
The passenger has been booked on charges of endangering the lives of others, police said.
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In a similar incident, a 37-year-old US citizen was held for allegedly smoking in the bathroom of a London-Mumbai Air India flight and misbehaving with co-passengers last month.
The accused, identified as Ramakant, also tried to open the door of the flight on March 10. “As per the flight crew, the accused tried to open the door of the flight. He also said he was carrying some medicine in his bag, but no such object was found in his bag. The accused's samples have been sent for examination to confirm if he was in an inebriated condition or was mentally disturbed,” Mumbai Police had said.
