‘Handcuff-like device’ to control unruly passengers on board: DGCA

In the wake of Air India mid-air urination incidents, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) advisory recommends keeping restraining devices inside Aircraft to control unruly passengers. A senior DGCA official said that they recommend devices kept in aircraft cabin used to restrain unruly passengers of level 3 type i.e. abusive physically violent category. The device looks like a handcuff. On Friday, the DGCA issued an advisory to the head of operations of all scheduled airlines with regard to handling unruly passenger on board and respective responsibilities as per the regulations. The guidelines come in the wake of back-to-back two urination incidents on Air India flights last year. Some airlines in India like Air Asia are keeping it in the aircraft cabin. He further said that applying restraining devices should be used when all conciliatory approaches have been exhausted. Civil Aviation Rule (CAR) makes cabin crew responsible for informing the passenger of the repercussion and consequences of such unruly behaviour. Meanwhile, a Look Out Circular (LoC) has been issued against the accused, identified as Shankar Mishra, who has been evading arrest. His company Wells Farggo has already sacked him Delhi police also issued summons to six-eight crew members, including the pilot of the Air India flight in the urination incident. According to the complaint filed on Wednesday by the victim, the crew brought the accused to her seat and forced her to face him as he begged to be spared arrest.

According to the Delhi Police official when the team reached his residence in the Kamgar Nagar area in Mumbai, he was not there. “A Delhi police team went to Bangalore and found he has taken leave from office,” the sources said.

The police have registered an FIR in the matter under sections 354, 509, and 510 of the Indian Penal Code and Section 23 of the Indian Aircraft Act. Both the accused and the victim are from outside Delhi.

The woman was “stunned” when the offender was brought before her and he “started crying and profusely apologising”.

The complainant has alleged that the pilot vetoed giving her a seat in the first class after the incident. “The flight crew told me that the pilot had vetoed giving me a seat in first class,” she wrote in the complaint.