A bomb scare triggered by a passenger on Sunday forced a Jet Airways flight from Delhi to Khajurao with 114 people on board to make a landing under emergency conditions in Varanasi.
The passenger V R K Singh, who was dressed as a sadhu naming himself Baba Vishwamitra, got into an argument with a foreign national who objected to his talking to his wife. "Chup raho. Nahi to bomb phat jayeja (Shut up or the bomb will explode)," Singh, 52, was quoted as having told the couple who immediately complained to the crew.
On questioning at the Varanasi airport, the sadhu claimed that he had only asked the couple not to quarrel with him and had not made any mention of a bomb.
After extensive checking of the aircraft, the flight Boeing 737-9W723 (Delhi-Varanasi-Khajurao), which landed in Varanasi at 12.45 PM, left for Khajurao in Madhya Pradesh at 1700 hrs, nearly four hours behind schedule.
A Jet Airways spokesperson said the flight was delayed due to questioning of "certain guests" on security concerns by the airport authorities as well as security agencies. PTI
