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In a major security breach, an Indian national working as a cleaner at Medina airport in Saudi Arabia managed to travel on an Air India flight, carrying 273 Haj pilgrims from Saudi Arabia to India, hiding in the toilet of the aircraft.
Habib Hussain, 26, from Moradabad in Uttar Pradesh, told the police that the contractor who employed him there had taken away his passport and harassed him. Finding no other way out to return home, he sneaked into the Air India flight to Jaipur. Habib's presence came to light about half an hour after the flight took off from Medina, when a passenger went to the toilet. Air India has said it has sought an explanation from the local ground-handling agency in Medina on how one of their employees managed to remain on board the aircraft after having performed his assigned duties. (Read: Air India seeks explanation) During questioning by the cabin crew, it was ascertained that Habib was only a stowaway and did not intend to harm anybody. However, the captain of the flight had alerted the ATC in Jaipur where police arrested him. He has been booked under Section 3 of the Passport Act. The man is being questioned by the Intelligence Bureau and the Special Operation Group of Rajasthan police, officials said. Air India's Director of Security is likely to reach Jaipur on Sunday. Meanwhile, Rajasthan Police have officially summoned cabin crew members to get more details on the case. (With PTI inputs) |
