Man arrested for shouting ‘Hijack’ on Vistara Mumbai-Delhi flight
Vistara flight hijack menace arrives days after a Mumbai-Delhi Vistara service was hindered because a lady overheard someone talking about a ‘bomb’.
A Mumbai-Delhi Vistara flight was delayed for approximately four hours Thursday after a male had to be deplaned and detained for shouting ‘hijack’ just before take-off, initiating a search of the plane as per standard operating procedure (SOP) before new clearance for departure.
A Vistara representative noted the SOP and said authorities had been notified immediately and that the passenger – Ritesh Sanjaykumar Juneja – was handed over to them. “A thorough check was conducted, and the flight took off with the rest of the customers after clearance.”
Police said Juneja was charged after a complaint from the flight staff, which was prepared to take off from Mumbai at 6.30 pm. The flight left just at 10.30 pm.
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“The passenger shouted ‘hijack’ while the flight prepared for departure. This led to suspicion, and all the passengers had to be de-boarded for a detailed check of the aircraft and the passenger,” an officer said.
The airline representative said, “We confirm there was an incident concerning an unruly passenger on Vistara flight UK 996 scheduled to operate from Mumbai to Delhi…”
Police confirmed Juneja claimed to be mentally sick.
“He claims to be unstable, due to which he had such a conversation on the flight,” a police official who did not want to be named said.
