A passenger travelling on an IndiGo flight from Delhi to Pune allegedly attempted to open the emergency door lever cover shortly after takeoff, triggering an alarm on the aircraft, police said on Tuesday.

Following the incident, an IndiGo crew member lodged a police complaint against the passenger. Police have registered a case and initiated an investigation.

The accused has been identified as Gaurav Satyendra Rautela, 33, a resident of Saswad in Pune district. He was travelling on IndiGo flight number 6E6884 and was seated in seat 19D, next to the emergency exit.

Senior Police Inspector Govind Pawar of the Airport Police Station told media that during preliminary questioning, the passenger claimed that he had tried to open the lever cover out of curiosity and was unaware that it was connected to the emergency door.

As soon as he touched the cover, an alarm sounded inside the aircraft, alerting the crew.

Pawar said that tampering with the emergency door mechanism could endanger the lives and safety of other passengers on board. He added that the alarm system is part of the aircraft’s safety protocol and is designed to alert the crew in such situations.

The incident occurred around 12.45 a.m. on Monday, shortly after the flight took off from Delhi. The aircraft landed in Pune at around 2 a.m. Following the incident, IndiGo crew member Omkar Vinod Kulkarni lodged a complaint against the passenger.

Pawar also pointed out that a similar incident had occurred in 2024, following which police had registered a case.

Police have issued a notice to Rautela under Section 35(3) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS). A case has also been registered against him under Section 125 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Section 25 of the Aircraft Act.

Further investigation into the matter is underway.

The Bombay High Court on Tuesday directed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to re-upload the public awareness video of actor Dia Mirza that urged citizens not to burst firecrackers on public roads during Diwali.

She had uploaded the video on the court’s earlier directions aimed at curbing pollution.

A division bench of Justice Girish Kulkarni and Justice Dr Neela Gokhale expressed strong displeasure over remarks made by certain political leaders against the actor for participating in the awareness campaign.

The court also reiterated that India is a secular country and emphasised the importance of following judicial directions issued in the public interest.

The BMC had enlisted Dia Mirza as part of its Diwali awareness drive to sensitise citizens about air pollution and compliance with court-imposed restrictions on bursting firecrackers in public spaces. However, the civic body removed the video from its social media platforms after objections were raised by BJP leaders, including Mumbai BJP chief Ameet Satam and BMC Mayor Ritu Tawde.

Tawde had criticised Mirza’s appeal, alleging that her opposition was consistently directed against Hindutva and those associated with it. She argued that Hindus did not require lessons on how to celebrate Diwali and accused the actor of pursuing a selective agenda.

Responding to the controversy, Dia Mirza defended the video, saying it was recorded on the directions of the Bombay High Court and was intended to promote public awareness about air pollution.

“Diwali celebrates the triumph of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance and hope over despair. The video was recorded in the interest of public awareness, with the intention of encouraging a healthier and more mindful celebration. Air pollution is a matter of public health, and every effort towards reducing it is a step towards a better environment for all,” Mirza told media on Monday.

The BMC’s Diwali campaign featured several public figures, including actor Madhuri Dixit and cricketer Ajinkya Rahane, advocating environmentally responsible celebrations. However, objections were raised to Mirza’s participation, with critics questioning the involvement of celebrities in advising the public on festival practices.

A Level-I fire broke out at a timber warehouse on Anand Road in the Malad West area of Mumbai on Monday night, prompting the mobilisation of fire brigade personnel and civic officials. No injuries have been reported in the incident, officials said.

According to the Mumbai Fire Service, the fire was reported at around 9 p.m. at the Ruiya timber warehouse.

The blaze was confined to wooden planks, cardboard stock and other materials stored on the ground floor of a ground-plus-two-storey (G+2) structure.

Following the alert, teams from the Mumbai Fire Brigade, police and Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) rushed to the spot and initiated firefighting and other emergency measures.

The fire was classified as Level-I, indicating a relatively minor fire incident. No injuries have been reported so far, the Mumbai Fire Service said.

The incident comes against the backdrop of another major fire at a scrap godown in Mumbai’s Saki Naka area in October, which claimed two lives and left four others with burn injuries.

The fire had broken out at a scrap godown in Abdul Rashid Compound in Saki Naka, Andheri East. The Mumbai Fire Brigade received a call about the blaze at around 6.18 p.m. on a Tuesday and subsequently classified it as a Level-II fire.

The injured were rushed to the civic-run Rajawadi Hospital for treatment. One of them had suffered 80 per cent burns, while the identities of the two deceased persons had not been established at the time.

The four injured individuals were identified as Taufiq Shadil Qureshi, 20, who sustained 80 per cent burns; Jahid Abidulla Qureshi, 20, and Kamal Jalauddin Shah, 47, who both suffered 40 per cent burns; and Lalchand Ramlakhan Gautam, 40, who sustained 10 per cent burns.

A senior Mumbai Fire Brigade officer had said that the circumstances surrounding the incident remained unclear, with preliminary investigations unable to establish the exact cause or point of origin of the fire.

Officials had said that the flames spread rapidly due to the large quantity of scrap material stored at the premises, which also made firefighting operations challenging. The fire was eventually brought under control after sustained efforts by the fire brigade.