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Man who tried to open emergency exit on Kochi flight booked for attempt to murder
The passenger, identified as Jamsheer Athanikkal of Koottanad in Palakkad, was travelling on the Batik Air flight OD231 from Kuala Lumpur to Kochi.
A passenger who allegedly tried to open the emergency exit of a Kuala Lumpur-Kochi flight has been booked for attempt to murder, officials said on Saturday. The man had made the attempt inside the Kochi-bound flight on Wednesday (August 5) and was arrested the next day.
The passenger, identified as Jamsheer Athanikkal of Koottanad in Palakkad, was travelling on the Batik Air flight OD231 from Kuala Lumpur to Kochi, PTI news agency reported. An FIR was filed against him, even as his attempt to open the exit also damaged the exit window's panel.
The incident occurred mid-flight between 9:30 pm and 11:05 pm. The cabin crew stepped in and restrained the accused from causing further damage to the aircraft and endangering the safety of those on board.
A case was initially registered against him under Section 351(3) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for criminal intimidation, Section 11A of the Aircraft Act for violating safety or security directions, and Section 118(e) of the Kerala Police Act for acts endangering public safety, according to PTI.
However, an officer said that the charge of attempt to murder was added later because “the act of the accused could have endangered the lives of the co-passengers.” The police are also conducting a detailed probe into the motive behind the incident, with the officer saying that they would interrogate the accused further as part of the investigation.
The accused had been working in Malaysia at a company owned by his friend for the past ten years, and was travelling back to Kerala to see his newborn child, police said.
What do we know about the incident?
The passenger had tried to force open the aircraft's emergency exit, damaged its window panel and threatened fellow passengers. After he was restrained during the flight, he was arrested upon arrival at the Kochi airport on Thursday. During the preliminary questioning after his arrest, the accused allegedly told police that he had felt like dying while travelling on the flight, according to PTI.
However, police said there seemed to be no provocation during the flight which would have triggered the behaviour. Police said Athanikkal had also turned violent when he was produced before the magistrate.
The cops are expected to file a petition before the Angamaly Judicial First Class Magistrate next week on Monday (August 10) to seek custody of Athanikkal for further questioning. The officer said that a petition to conduct a test to determine his medical condition would also be filed. Meanwhile, the accused's health history and that of his relatives is also being examined as part of the probe. Other state and central agencies are also collecting information on Athanikkal, according to officials.
“The statements of other passengers on the flight will be recorded. We are also trying to obtain the statement of the cabin crew members, who are currently abroad,” PTI cited the officer as saying. The officer added that fresh charges would be invoked if any new evidence emerges during the investigation, and the matter would be referred to other agencies for a thorough probe.
