Mumbai: A passenger on an Air India flight from Mauritius to Mumbai endangered the lives of fellow travelers by smoking inside the aircraft, leading the Sahar Police to register a case against him. The accused passenger has been identified as Seralli Mohammed Zaid (33), a resident of Mauritius.

After questioning, the Sahar Police issued him a notice and released him, while further investigation is underway. According to the Sahar Police, the incident occurred on January 27 during an Air India flight from Mauritius to Mumbai, scheduled to land at 6 PM. After takeoff, the accused, seated in seat number 30, attempted to smoke inside the aircraft.

About two hours before landing, the accused went into the aircraft’s restroom. Shortly after, the smoke detector alarm went off, alerting the cabin crew. When a crew member knocked on the restroom door, the accused eventually opened it.

To conceal his actions, the accused flushed the cigarette down the toilet. However, during the inspection, a strong smell of smoke and a matchbox found near him confirmed that he had been smoking. The cabin crew immediately reported the incident to Air India’s senior officials. Upon landing in Mumbai, the accused was handed over to the Sahar Police. The police have registered a case and are conducting further investigations into the matter.