Passenger Booked for Tampering With Emergency Exit Lever Cover on Delhi–Pune IndiGo Flight
Reported by Mubarak Ansari
Viman Nagar, 3rd November 2026: Pune’s Airport police have registered a case against a 33-year-old passenger for allegedly attempting to open the cover over an emergency exit operating lever aboard a Delhi–Pune IndiGo flight while the aircraft was airborne.
The passenger, identified in the FIR as Gaurav Satyendra Rautela, a resident of Saswad in Pune district, was travelling on IndiGo flight 6E6884 on November 2. He works with a private company.
According to the complaint, the flight departed from Delhi at approximately 12.30 am. “Around 12.45 am, Rautela, who was seated in seat 19D, allegedly attempted to open the cover over the lever used to operate an emergency exit”, DCP (Zone 7) Abinash Kumar told Punekar News.
The complaint states that the action activated the aircraft’s sensors, prompting a cabin crew member to approach the passenger. The crew member then asked him for his name and address and checked his ticket to establish his identity.
The aircraft landed at Pune airport at approximately 2.30 am, according to the FIR.
The complaint was lodged by Omkar Vinod Kulkarni, 28, who identified himself as a senior executive in IndiGo’s security department. He alleged that the passenger’s actions endangered the lives and personal safety of others on board.
Airport police registered FIR No. 0520/2026 at 7.56 pm on November 2. The FIR cites Section 125 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, along with an aviation-related provision. Police Sub-Inspector Dilip Kanta Palave has been assigned to investigate the case.
As the punishment is less than seven years, he was not arrested.
