An incident occurred on Batik Air flight OD231 from Kuala Lumpur to Kochi, India, when a passenger damaged the emergency exit panel and attempted to open the door, threatening other passengers and crew members. The offender was detained after landing, reports infohub.kz.
According to police, 36-year-old Jamshir Atanikkal, a resident of Kerala, India, was seated in seat 12A next to the emergency exit. The initial report states he kicked the emergency exit panel, damaging it, and then tried to interfere with the door mechanism. Passengers who attempted to stop him were also threatened.
Witnesses said the incident occurred about half an hour before landing. A loud noise was heard in the cabin, after which several people tried to restrain the man near the emergency exit. The crew and passengers managed to immobilize him and prevent the situation from escalating.
The aircraft landed safely at Kochi airport. Immediately after landing, officers of India's Central Industrial Security Force boarded the plane, detained Atanikkal, and handed him over to police.
Initially, police registered charges of threats, violation of aviation security, and actions endangering public safety. Later, an attempted murder charge was added. "Since the accused's actions could have endangered the lives of other passengers, we added the attempted murder charge," Kerala police said.
Investigators are seeking to determine the motives behind the incident. During the initial interrogation, the man stated that he had a desire to die during the flight. However, no apparent reasons or conflicts that could have provoked his behavior have been identified so far.
Police also plan to examine the man's mental state, review his medical history, and interview passengers and crew. According to investigators, Atanikkal had worked in Malaysia for about ten years and was flying to Kerala to see his newborn child.
The investigation is ongoing. Authorities said additional charges may be filed if new evidence emerges.