Man detained at Srinagar Airport over ‘hijack’ scare, says it was a joke

Airport security officials said the 30-year-old man was handed over to Budgam police after the Indigo staff submitted an application.

A passenger on an Indigo flight was detained at the Srinagar Airport on Tuesday after he told the crew that the flight is hijacked.

FILE PHOTO: An IndiGo Airlines Airbus A320 aircraft takes off in Colomiers near Toulouse, France, October 19, 2017. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau/File photo (REUTERS)

However, he later told the police that he was making a joke.

Airport security officials said 30-year-old Lakhwinder Kumar was handed over to Budgam police after the Indigo staff submitted an application.

The plane was flying from Chandigarh to Srinagar.

“After landing, the man told the crew the flight is hijacked,” said deputy superintendent of police Bashir Ahmad. “The crew gave us an application and we handed him over to the police station concerned for legal action.”

The official said the man was a resident of Punjab and was here as a tourist.

“He told us that he has was flying for the first time and in excitement, made a joke in front of his friends who were also on the flight,” said an official at Srinagar Airport police post. “He also told us that he had come for the Amarnath Yatra.”

Srinagar International Airport, around 12 km north of Srinagar, is under the control of the Indian Air Force and Airports Authority of India.