‘No passenger would survive’: Flyer’s hoax delays Akasa Air flight by 90 minutes

Amid a spate of hoax calls affecting airlines, a resident of Srinagar delayed a flight from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) to his hometown by more than an hour and a half on Sunday. After realising he would be unable to board due to high blood pressure, the man told a Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) officer that ‘the flight will not take off, and no passenger would survive.’ This statement prompted security personnel to halt the aircraft and carry out threat-related procedures, resulting in an extended delay.
According to police, the accused, identified as 52-year-old Mohammad Yusuf Malik, arrived at the airport on Sunday morning to board Akasa Air flight QP 1637 to Srinagar. However, upon reaching the airport, his blood pressure spiked, and he realised he would be unable to board the flight due to his condition.
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The complainant, Mani Shankar Shatrughan Rai, a sub-inspector with the CISF, told the police that he was assigned duty as a boarding gate officer at Gate number 28. An airline staff informed him by phone that boarding for the Akasa Air flight was to start and the glass door on the boarding gate should be opened.
Around 10.05 am as Rai was between boarding gates 25 and 26, Mohammad Yusuf Malik approached him and whispered something inaudible. Malik then came up from behind and attempted to speak again, prompting Rai to directly ask him what he wanted to say. With a menacing tone, Mohammad then told him: “Yeh flight nahi ja payegi aur koi nahi bachega (This flight would not take off and no one would survive).”
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Rai then alerted his senior officer and notified the Akasa Air staff at Gate 26 for security and procedural checks. After a thorough search revealed no issues, a CISF officer questioned Malik about his alarming statement. Malik responded that he was under the influence of ‘black magic,’ which had left him feeling depressed. His luggage and personal items were brought to the security checkpoint and searched, but nothing suspicious was found on him or in his bags. Noticing Malik’s heavy breathing, airport medical staff were called, and a checkup revealed elevated blood pressure, likely due to stress.
Once the Akasa aircraft completed its security checks, it was cleared for departure to Srinagar at approximately 12:04 p.m., over an hour and a half after its scheduled departure time. Malik was subsequently brought to the police station, where an FIR was filed against him under sections 351(4) (criminal intimidation by anonymous communication), 353(1)(b) (acts intended to cause fear or alarm to the public), and 125 (rash or negligent acts endangering human life or safety) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.