A recent incident at Bhubaneswar’s Biju Patnaik International Airport saw a passenger, Mamoni Kharat, allegedly cause significant damage to airport property following the cancellation of an IndiGo flight. Authorities estimate the damage to be around ₹49,000, prompting a formal police complaint against the individual.
Incident Follows Technical Snag on IndiGo Flight
The alleged vandalism unfolded on August 13, 2026, after IndiGo flight 6E 7352, scheduled to depart from Bhubaneswar to Kolkata, was called off. The airline stated that a technical snag was identified during a mandatory pre-departure inspection of the aircraft, rendering it unsafe for travel.
During the disruption in the departure lounge, Ms. Kharat reportedly engaged in a heated confrontation with officials present, including personnel from the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), IndiGo, and the Airports Authority of India (AAI). Subsequently, she is accused of damaging a monitor, a keyboard, and a passport-swiping machine.
Official Response and Airline Statement
The Airports Authority of India (AAI) filed a complaint with the Airfield police station, accusing Kharat of unruly behavior, damaging airport property, and creating a disturbance. The AAI is seeking appropriate action against the passenger and recovery of the costs for the damaged equipment.
IndiGo confirmed the flight cancellation and expressed regret for the inconvenience caused to its customers. The airline stated that it made efforts to minimize disruption by offering regular updates, refreshments, accommodation, and alternate travel options or full refunds as applicable. Regarding the passenger involved, IndiGo declared the individual unruly and handed her over to the relevant security agencies in line with standard operating procedures.
“IndiGo flight 6E 7352, scheduled to operate from Bhubaneswar to Kolkata on August 13, 2026, was cancelled due to a technical snag identified during the mandatory pre-departure inspection of the aircraft. We regret the inconvenience caused to our customers and took all efforts to minimise the same,” an IndiGo spokesperson stated.
A video purportedly showing the passenger's behavior during the altercation later surfaced on social media, quickly gaining traction online.