Unruly IndiGo Passenger Gets Life Imprisonment

[Ovation]

Reported in the Aviation Herald:

The crew of an IndiGo Airbus A320-200, flight 6E-334 from Goa to Delhi (India), declared emergency reporting an unruly passenger on board while approaching Delhi airport. The airplane landed safely and was guided to a remote isolation bay. The airplane was surrounded by a massive deployment of security forces. The passengers were allowed to disembark more than 2 hours after landing, when the unruly passenger had been taken into custody.

An obviously already drunk male passenger, who reportedly also carried a knife, had demanded to be served liquor, which was refused by flight attendants. A fight arose, during which the passenger threatened hijack raising according alert with the flight crew, Air Traffic Control and authorities. The passenger was overcome and taken into custody by authorities after landing.

IndiGo Airlines reported, that all passengers are safe, no injuries occured.

On Oct 30th 2012 Bangalore Aviation reported, an Indian court delivered a life imprisonment sentence to the unruly passenger arguing with respect to the threatened hijack: "Even if it is presumed that he had no such intention, it must be attributed that he knew he was on board an Indigo flight carrying 160 passengers and his terrifying act could endanger the safety of the passengers as well as the aircraft in flight."

[AndoniP]

haha life imprisonment... bit harsh :E

[Sqwak7700]

Bit harsh, but I bet it won't happen as often now. :ok:

[Doors to Automatic]

What a great country this would become if some of our judges started handing out life sentences to some of the habitual criminal scum that go before them time and time again, but with pro-criminal types like Milliband lurking in the wings I won't be holding my breath!

[crewmeal]

What a great country this would become if some of our judges started handing out life sentences to some of the habitual criminal scum that go before them time and time again

A few years back the alcoholics were punished quite severely when they disrupted flights and they diverted. Now it's just a slap on the wrist from judges who have 'tariffs' and sentences that are divided into 2 along with MP's who think prison doesn't work. I won't hijack the thread and talk politics!

[kms901]

If he was carrying a knife, how did he get it on the aeroplane ?

[etrang]

I won't hijack the thread

Looks like the tough sentences are working already.

[shed loads]

Pure class etrang!

[Daermon ATC]

I will disagree on this one ... not that it would matter but I'll disagree anyway.

I think a life sentence is not a bit harsh, it's way over the top. :=
Supposedly the plane wasn't in any danger as there is a locked door to the cockpit so that passenger could have only killed or injured a few other fellow passengers.

Furthermore, how did he manage to have a knife on board? And how came he was so drunk, did he drink that much on board or was he previously inebriated?

I think this sentence is just a mirage so the local justice/government may appear to be tough on air safety while at the same time completely failing to address the real issue.

IMHO the sentence should have been a heavy fine, a few years behind bars and add a life-time ban to board an airplane for the passenger. Also a thorough investigation possibly on how he was in the position to be a threath and possibly the dismissal and heavy fines for the airport director/security manager.

As in accident investigations the last bit might be the pilot's fault but there are a LOT of other issues behind it that transformed an error in an accident.

[Pelican]

Of course it is totally and utterly over the top. Life in prison? For this? Seriously....

[juxtapose]

Quite a unique country. Those who commit comparitively less grave crimes get life imprisonment and those who commit grevious crimes on a national level roam free less than 24 hours after going to jail! That's incredible India I guess...

[P6 Driver]

It certainly seems harsh compared to what the UK did to the Stansted Afghan hijackers from 2000. I seem to recall that a couple of them were jailed for 5 years with lesser sentences for others - and that was for an actual hijack rather than being a bit stroppy.

Following their sentences, how many were even deported?

[Loose rivets]

Sadly there has to be an element of a deterrent in sentencing, but it must be held at a consistent level so that people have fair warning.

To exceed this is punishment for crimes which have not yet been committed.

Sledgehammering one deranged soul is just plain brutal, a far worse crime than the original.

[Will Hung]

Following their sentences, how many were even deported?

I seem to recall we breached their human rights by arresting them. I think they're UK nationals now, and have been compensated accordingly for the appalling breach !

[FlyingOfficerKite]

If he was carrying a knife, how did he get it on the aeroplane?

Very good question. What was his intent?

Of course it is totally and utterly over the top. Life in prison? For this? Seriously....

At what point is a hijack a crime that is worth punishing people for?

Do you wait for a passenger to be stabbed before you think 'well, actually, I think life imprisonment is justified'?

Next time you go flying as a passenger just walk up to check-in and when you are asked the 3 questions reply, jokingly: 'No I didn't pack this suitcase myself, I don't know what's in it exactly - only that it's a bomb!!!'.

See what the reaction towards you is then and report back whether you consider the 'punishment' is "totally and utterly over the top ... For this? Seriously..."

I wonder how many of the contributors are flight or cabin crew - because if you are I'm surprised at the content of the Posts?! :=

[galaxy flyer]

The good news for this idiot is a life sentence in an Indian prison is very likely to be considerably shorter than life in, say, a US prison. Then again, an unruly passenger on SWA, prior to 9/11, was killed by the pax who "feared for their lives". Good phrase, remember it well, btw.

[billboard]

Quite a unique country. Those who commit comparitively less grave crimes get life imprisonment and those who commit grevious crimes on a national level roam free less than 24 hours after going to jail! That's incredible India I guess...

Unnecessary mud-slinging/false propaganda.

If somebody who was arrested on an evening manages to get bail from a court next day i.e. in less than 24 hours, then what is wrong with that? Are you suggesting that all under-trials should be denied bail? Civil liberties must be taken away on the basis of mere accusations? Which sad part of the world are you from?

I don't know how it works in your country but in India certain restrictions are placed on the movement of an accused pending the delivery of justice. This may also include impounding of passport if there is reason to believe that the accused may try to flee the country.

Do you have valid proof against someone which you admitted with (an) Indian police or court and the accused was still let off? Improbable, but if that did happen then please share it with the media channels and see for yourself how incredible India is.

_________________________________________________________

In this case, i feel the police should be congratulated for ensuring the conviction. The quantum of sentence does not appear to be commensurate with the crime. If the convict appeals in a higher court there is good chance that his sentence will be reduced.

[fullforward]

Looks like somebody touch you a nerve!...Easy boy.

The comment that made you jump is obviously related to the numerous cases of high level corruption (high level meaning many crores...) that appear on daily basis on Indian newspapers. Nothing seems to happen to the politicians and gansters involved. At the most some few hours ( 'ars' in Hindinglish...) of 'enquiries'. Most of them are at large, as you certainlly know.
There's nothing to do with 'civil liberties'...
Every time a white collar put some millions of public money in his pocket hundreds of children die on the slums in India.
It's an endemically corrupt state, no question about that.

[billboard]

Depends on how you perceive corruption. In my view bailing out banks which took excessive risks and plunged the world economy into disaster is a form of corruption. In western countries, as in a lot many cases, if companies make a profit, it is theirs and if they make a loss, it is transferred to the tax payers. That is a case of the rich predating on the poor. At least if you are caught encouraging that in India, you can, in most cases, kiss your political/government career good-bye. In western countries that happens openly. If slum children die due to corruption in India, then people in some countries die because they cannot afford the expensive healthcare in western countries where money was spent on compensating for the irresponsible actions of some rich finance professionals instead of helping the needy.

Like a hurricane takes its energy from the ocean, the type of corruption we have in India takes its energy from poverty. A lot of that problem could be taken care of if we, like some western countries, start attacking/harassing resource rich countries. But that is not in our culture. Check history!

When something is in short supply, it is natural for people from any country to resort to "seemingly" unfair means to get ahead. The advent of p2f is an example of this. Jobs in short supply so.........

20 years back you could not touch a govt. minister in India. Today sometimes all it takes for one to be fired is an accusation. Public/media vigil is strong enough to keep the government on back foot. Judiciary is sometimes annoyingly over active. Remember, this is a country where once a powerful Prime Minister was made to step down from her position by a High Court judge.

Statecraft is such a complex task that there is not enough space to discuss it over here. I would end by saying that India is still a relatively young democracy. Western democracies took centuries to mature. Compared to these countries, India has shown remarkable progress in a short time. I feel very confident that the present generation would take India back to her days of glory. More importantly, being a "soft" and peaceful state, India would ensure not just her own progress but the whole world's progress.

It is just that some people choose to highlight only the negatives. Read more about India and you will find a lot many more positives.