India News : A major security lapse was exposed when a passenger managed to board an Air India flight (AI 2492) from Lucknow to Mumbai carrying matches and cigarettes, despite Independence Day security being on high alert. Shockingly, the passenger lit a cigarette inside the aircraft toilet, triggering the fire alarm and causing panic among fellow travelers.
The flight, scheduled to depart Lucknow at 2:05 PM and land in Mumbai at 4:37 PM, was moments into boarding completion when the incident occurred. According to witnesses, the passenger, identified as Kuldeep Singh, was traveling with his wife Anshu and son Dhruv. Shortly after boarding, he went to the lavatory, where he lit a cigarette. The smoke immediately set off the fire alarm, sparking chaos in the cabin as passengers feared a fire.
Cabin crew rushed to the toilet, knocked on the door, and escorted Singh out. He had reportedly smuggled matchstick heads and stems through security checks — raising questions over how these items went undetected despite three layers of screening and heightened Independence Day security protocols.
The incident was reported to the pilot, who instructed the crew to offload the passenger. Singh was deplaned along with his family, and their check-in baggage was also removed from the aircraft as per safety protocols.
The matter has triggered a debate over lax security checks at airports, particularly during periods of high alert.
