Passenger arrested after trying to open exit on Batik flight

A passenger was arrested after allegedly attempting to open an emergency exit mid-flight on a Batik Air flight from Kuala Lumpur to Kochi, India, on August 5. The incident, which triggered panic among passengers, was contained by the cabin crew and fellow travelers, and the aircraft landed safely in the early hours of Thursday, August 6.

The accused has been identified as Jamsheer Athanikkal, an Indian national from Kerala's Palakkad district. According to police reports and a First Information Report (FIR), the incident occurred between 9:30 p.m. and 11:05 p.m. while Batik Air flight OD231 was in flight. The FIR alleges that Jamsheer damaged the inner panel of an aircraft window and attempted to force open the emergency exit door, while also threatening fellow passengers and crew.

The cabin crew intervened swiftly to restrain the passenger, preventing the situation from escalating. Fellow passengers also assisted in keeping him subdued until the flight landed at Cochin International Airport around 2:40 a.m. on Thursday. Upon disembarkation, Central Industrial Security Force personnel took Jamsheer into custody and handed him over to the Nedumbassery Police Station.