A passenger on a Batik Air flight from Kuala Lumpur to Kochi, India, attempted to open the emergency exit during the flight. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing The New Indian Express.
The incident occurred on flight OD231. The offender, 36-year-old Jamshir Atanikkal, a resident of Kerala, was seated in seat 12A next to the emergency exit. He kicked and damaged the emergency exit panel, then tried to interfere with the door mechanism. Passengers who tried to stop him were also threatened.
Witnesses said the incident happened about half an hour before landing. A loud noise was heard in the cabin, and passengers saw several people trying to restrain the man near the emergency exit. The crew and passengers managed to immobilize him and prevent further escalation.
The aircraft landed safely at Kochi airport. Immediately after landing, officers of India's Central Industrial Security Force boarded and detained Atanikkal, handing him over to police.
Initially, police registered a case under charges of threats, violation of aviation safety, 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 charge of attempted murder," Kerala police said.
Authorities intend to determine the motives. During the initial interrogation, the man reportedly said he had a desire to die during the flight. However, investigators have not yet found any apparent reasons or conflicts that could have provoked his behavior.
Police also plan to check the man's condition, 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 stated that the list of charges could be expanded if new evidence emerges.