Bengaluru doctor threatens to crash Air India flight after clash with crew over baggage

A 36-year-old doctor was arrested on Tuesday for causing a disturbance aboard an Air India flight from Bengaluru to Surat and allegedly threatening to crash the aircraft after cabin crew objected to her placing baggage in a restricted area near the crew cabin.

The incident triggered a security scare and delayed the flight by two hours. The accused, identified as Vyas Hiral Mohanbhai from Shivanahalli near Yelahanka, was travelling alone on AI Flight IX2749 with two pieces of baggage.

According to police, the Ayurvedic doctor bypassed the check-in counter and insisted on carrying both bags onboard. The situation escalated once she boarded the flight—she left one bag near the crew cabin and took the other to her assigned seat, 20F.


When cabin crew asked Vyas Hiral Mohanbhai to place her bag in the overhead compartment near her seat, she refused and insisted that the crew keep it with them. Despite multiple requests from the crew and later the captain, she refused to comply and began verbally abusing the staff.

The situation escalated further when fellow passengers attempted to intervene, only to be shouted at by Mohanbhai. At one point, she allegedly threatened to crash the flight if the crew moved her baggage.

As the disturbance grew more serious, the captain alerted security, prompting CISF personnel to board the aircraft and offload her. The incident unfolded between 2:45 pm and 5:30 pm, as per a complaint filed by Agnimitra Bahinipati, associate manager of security at Kempegowda International Airport (KIA).

Police said the disruption didn’t end there. After being taken to the KIA police station, Mohanbhai continued to abuse and physically confront officers.

Her husband, who works at an educational institution in Bengaluru and hails from Odisha, later appeared before police. He informed them that Mohanbhai had stopped practising medicine and was travelling to Gujarat to visit her family. He also revealed that she had previously caused disturbances in public places. Police are now reviewing her background and past incidents.