“In their probe, police found that lasers emanating from wedding venues are not the only source and they came to know that many miscreants around the airport area also commit such crimes just for fun,” an officer said. (Representational Image)
Security agencies at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport faced some tense moments after the pilot of an Indigo flight called the Air Traffic Controller (ATC) and complained of being distracted by a laser beam while landing on Tuesday.
An FIR has been registered at IGI Airport police station and police have started investigation.
According to police, Subham Trivedi, the pilot of IndiGo flight no 6E198 — from Mumbai to Delhi — informed the ATC that the incident took place when he was five nautical miles from the airport and was about to land. “The incident was reported around 12.40 am Tuesday when the flight had been cleared to land on runway 29/11. But he suddenly complained of some distraction and informed the ATC, who informed the manager on the ground,” said a senior police officer, adding that the ATC later helped the pilot land the plane and informed the Delhi Police control room about the incident.
Soon after, Delhi Police officers and other security agencies rushed to the spot. “A laser light causing distraction to the vision of the pilot is not only a source of nuisance but may also cause danger to the safety of passengers and crew. It may also be dangerous for the aircraft,” the officer said.
DCP (airport) Sanjay Bhatia said, “We have registered an FIR under Section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) of the IPC after we received a complaint and are now probing the matter.”
Delhi Police had earlier banned the use of laser lights around the airport after the ATC reported several incidents of pilots being distracted while they approached the runway to land.
“In their probe, police found that lasers emanating from wedding venues are not the only source and they came to know that many miscreants around the airport area also commit such crimes just for fun,” an officer said.
