Tension unfolded on board Air India flight AI 2428 on Saturday morning as three representatives of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)—Abhijeet Dipke, Saurav Das, and Ashutosh Ranka—were detained by Delhi Police shortly after landing. The aircraft, an ex-Vistara Airbus A320, touched down at Delhi Airport at approximately 10:30 am. Upon landing, the pilots were directed by air traffic control to bypass standard parking stands linked to aerobridges and instead proceed to a remote bay located near the international wing of Terminal 3.
Following the aircraft's arrival at the designated remote bay, a team of Delhi Police officers boarded the plane. The officers approached the row where the three CJP representatives were seated and requested they accompany them. In video footage recorded from within the cabin, Mr. Dipke is heard challenging the officers to arrest him, while police personnel are heard informing him that the action was a detention rather than a formal arrest, urging the passengers to cooperate with the process.
Once the police and the three individuals exited the aircraft, other passengers remained on board for approximately 10 to 15 minutes as part of the operational procedure. Air India has not issued an official comment regarding the incident. While security agencies routinely escort unruly passengers or criminal suspects from aircraft, such measures involving political or social activists are infrequent.
Industry experts noted that airport operations are governed by strictly regulated protocols. While bay allocation is typically managed by the airport operator, Delhi International Airport Ltd in this instance, government agencies possess the authority to mandate the use of remote bays under special circumstances. These procedures are sometimes utilized during security-related events, such as bomb threats, or specific instructions from government authorities. The flight had previously landed on the airport's fourth runway, requiring an extended taxi duration to reach the terminal area.
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