Passenger Claims ‘Ghost Possession’ After Twice Trying to Open Emergency Exit on IndiGo Flight

India: A dramatic mid-air incident aboard IndiGo flight 6E-185 forced the pilot to abort a landing attempt at Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport here on Saturday night, after a passenger allegedly attempted to open an emergency exit door not once but twice,  including at a critical altitude of around 500 feet.

The passenger, identified as Mohammad Adnan, a resident of Mau district in Uttar Pradesh, was returning from a trip to Goa. The flight departed Bengaluru around 8:15 pm and was approaching Varanasi when the second, more dangerous attempt occurred shortly before 10:20 pm.

According to officials and multiple reports, Adnan first tampered with the emergency exit about 15 minutes after takeoff. Cabin crew quickly intervened, accepted his explanation that it was a “mistake,” issued a warning, and had him return to his seat. He reportedly behaved normally for the remainder of the journey until the final descent phase.

At around 500 feet during the landing approach, Adnan again tried to operate the emergency exit. Alert crew members immediately restrained him,  using seat belts and other means, and informed the cockpit. The pilot promptly executed a “go-around,” aborting the landing to ensure safety, circled the airport, and touched down safely around 10:35 pm. No injuries were reported among passengers or crew.

Upon landing, Adnan was handed over to airline security and the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF). He was later detained by police, and a case has been registered. During initial questioning, he claimed he did not know why he acted that way; he later told authorities he was “possessed by a ghost.”