Regardless of how many times you’ve travelled on a plane, it is nerve-wracking. And for good reason too! There are a lot of things that can go wrong on the plane and there is always a teeny tiny part of your brain that fears hijacking. Imagine the shock and horror of the Vistara crew member when she overheard a passenger conversation discussing a hijack! Here are the details about this frightening incident.
Vistara Passenger Mentions ‘Hijack’ On Phone
This frightening incident happened on the 22nd of June, Thursday, on a Vistara flight which was headed to the Indira Gandhi International Airport or the IGIA in Delhi from the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport or the CSMIA. The flight was numbered UK 996. Here is how the series of events progressed.
Neha Rajesh Kumar, a cabin crew member with Vistara, was helping people settle in when she overheard a phone conversation. She heard Ritesh Sanjaykukar Juneja, the passenger who was conversing on the phone, saying certain alarming things.
As per her statement to the police, Juneja was saying that he had safely boarded the plane and everything regarding the hijack is going as per the plan. He was also heard saying that the other person should contact them should they run into any issues.
Alleged That He Is “Mentally Ill” In His Defense
Neha Kumar, upon hearing this, was naturally alarmed. She immediately reported what she had heard to the captain and other concerned authorities. He was soon handed over to the police. According to an article recently published by The Indian Express, the passenger alleged that he has a mental illness.
However, despite this statement the police are still investigating the matter and nothing can be said for sure. Juneja is 23 years old and is a resident of Sirsa in Haryana.
Since his actions led to other passengers being terrorised, he is currently being charged with IPC 336 and 505-2 for threatening the safety of passengers and public mischief.
How would you react if you overheard a phone conversation discussing hijack while on a plane? Let us know in the comments below!
Cover Image Credits: Wikimedia Commons
First Published: June 23, 2023 6:45 PM