Told to remove lighter, woman ‘creates ruckus’ at IGI airport

NEW DELHI: A Ukrainian woman, who had come to Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International airport to board a flight to Moscow, allegedly manhandled security personnel on Tuesday morning after being asked to remove a cigarette lighter from her handbag during the security check.

Officials said that after removing the lighter from her bag, when the woman was allowed to go to the boarding area, she again created nuisance and had to be handed over to Delhi Police.

The woman was briefly detained by the police but was released later because no formal charges were pressed by the airport or security officials.

According to the officers from the Central Industrial Security Force, around 5.25 am, the woman arrived at the Delhi airport’s terminal 3 to board a flight to Moscow.

“During her security check, our personnel spotted a cigarette lighter in her hand bag. She was asked to remove the lighter from her bag as it comes under prohibited items. The woman refused. She seemed to be in a drunken state. She started arguing with the security personnel and started shouting at them,” said a senior officer, who did not wish to be identified.

The officer added that woman officers were later brought in to control the situation. “The woman officers then tried to pacify the passenger. But she pushed them and tried to get out of the security hold area. The lighter was later removed from her bag and she was allowed to head for the boarding area,” the officer said.

However, after reaching the boarding area she allegedly again started shouting and created a ruckus. “Officers from the airport operator – DIAL — made a medical call and some doctors and staff from a clinic situated at T3 arrived at the spot. The woman was then taken to the airport’s medical facility and the Delhi Police informed,” he said.

The information was also passed on to the embassy concerned and the airline, the officer said, adding that she was later handed over to the Delhi Police.

Deputy commissioner of police (IGI airport) Sanjay Bhatia said that the police got a call from the airline reporting that the woman was ‘inebriated and creating a ruckus.’ “The airline did not give us any written complaint and therefore no action was taken against her,” the DCP said.