Passenger found smoking on Kolkata-Bengaluru flight, arrested

A 24-year-old woman passenger was arrested in Bengaluru after she was found smoking in a toilet of a Kolkata-Bengaluru flight. The incident took place on March 5, and the woman was reportedly arrested on landing in Bengaluru. She was later released on bail. According to reports, the police complaint was filed by airport security official K Shankar.

On March 5, the woman passenger, C Priyanka, boarded an Indigo flight from Kolkata. While the flight was mid-air, alerted by the smell of smoke emanating from the toilet, the cabin crew forced open the door, according to the complaint. The crew members reportedly found a cigarette lying in the dustbin, which was put out with water. The passenger was also reported to the captain of the flight.

After nearly 2.5 hours of flight time, once the flight landed at Bengaluru, the passenger was handed over to security officials, who took her to the airport police and a complaint was lodged. Based on the complaint, she has been booked under section 336 (whoever does any act so rashly or negligently as to endanger human life or the personal safety of others) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), and later released on bail.