Passenger held for smoking onboard Abu Dhabi-Mumbai flight

A 27-year-old passenger was arrested for smoking onboard IndiGo's Abu Dhabi-Mumbai flight, police said on Tuesday.

A smoke alarm in the flight started went off after the accused, identified as Tushar Chowdhary, lit a cigarette in the toilet of the aircraft while it was mid-air on Monday, senior police inspector Shashikant Mane said.

The flight staff rushed to the toilet and tried to open its door, but found it locked from inside, he said.

They kept knocking at the door, but when Chowdhary did not come out, they opened it with the help of a key and found the passenger smoking cigarette in the toilet, Mane said.

When the flight landed in Mumbai, Chowdhary was arrested by Sahar police, he said.

The accused was later produced before a court which remanded him in police custody, he added.

Smoking cigarettes or anything that produces smoke or flame is prohibited onboard most commercial aircraft.