A man on his way home to see his newborn allegedly tried to open a plane’s emergency exit mid-flight, saying he ‘felt like doing so at that moment’

Jamsheer Athanikkal was taken into custody after he allegedly tried to open a plane’s emergency exit while cruising at 30,000 feet. According to People, the incident occurred on August 7, during a Batik Air flight traveling from Malaysia to India. In my opinion, it is quite a situation when you consider the sheer danger of someone attempting to compromise the integrity of an aircraft while it is high above the ground.

Jamsheer Athanikkal, the 36-year-old traveler, was seated in 12A when the event unfolded. According to reports, the activity took place between 9:30 PM and 11:00 PM. A police officer noted that the man acted without any provocation, attempting to pry open the emergency exit and causing significant damage to the exit window panel in the process.

The situation escalated quickly as the man allegedly threatened both his fellow passengers and the flight crew members who attempted to intervene. Eventually, the crew and passengers on board managed to overpower him. In videos that have circulated on social media, you can see the man restrained with zip ties by the crew. Beyond the damage to the window itself, pieces of the plastic interior of the aircraft were also visibly destroyed.

Police have since added a much more serious charge

When the flight landed at Kochi Airport, Athanikkal was arrested. He is currently facing charges including criminal intimidation, failure to follow official safety directions, and risking public safety. Authorities have since added a charge for attempted murder. A police officer explained the reasoning behind this escalation, stating, “As the act of the accused could have endangered the lives of the co-passengers, we have evoked an attempt to murder charge against him.”

This charge, filed under Section 109 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, carries a potential sentence of up to ten years imprisonment and a fine. If the act had caused actual physical harm to anyone, that penalty could potentially jump to life imprisonment. A similar case drew scrutiny recently when a Jordanian man was charged over trying to open two exit doors on a Malaysia to Sydney flight.

The logic behind why he would do such a thing remains unclear, though the officer provided a brief insight into his mindset at the time. “He said he felt like doing so at that moment,” the officer mentioned. When providing further context about his travel, the officer added, “He said he was coming home to see his newborn.” The authorities intend to question him in detail as part of their ongoing investigation. They also plan to file a petition to conduct a test to ascertain his mental condition.

There is a possibility that the legal consequences could become even more severe as the investigation continues. Under Section 3A of India’s Suppression of Unlawful Acts against Safety of Civil Aviation Act, 1982, anyone who intentionally commits an act of violence that destroys or seriously damages an aircraft, thereby endangering its safety, faces the possibility of life imprisonment. It is unclear whether authorities are pursuing charges under this law in Athanikkal’s case.

Batik Air and the local police department have not publicly commented on the incident.