Kerala man irked by airport security check says he has bomb in bag, arrested

The airport security personnel had repeatedly asked the 63-year-old man about what was in his baggage, which reportedly irritated him.
Arial view of Kochi airport
Arial view of Kochi airport
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A 63-year-old man and his wife were not allowed to board their flight at the Cochin International Airport in the early hours of Saturday, June 2, after he uttered the word "bomb" when asked what was in their luggage, police said in Kochi. They said that the couple, who were going abroad, reached the airport around 1.30 am. As the staff at the check-in counter asked them what was in their luggage, the irked husband sarcastically said "bomb", triggering panic, following which airport security was informed. They were handed over to the Nedumbassery police, who arrested the man and later released him on station bail, the police said.

According to reports, the man has been identified as Mamman Joseph, who is a native of Pathanamthitta. He was scheduled to board an Emirates flight to Australia via Dubai. The airport security personnel had repeatedly asked Mamman about what was in his baggage, which reportedly irritated him and prompted him to make the sarcastic remark. However, an alarmed flight attendant informed the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), who then checked the duo and handed them to the police.

Later, their baggage was also removed from the flight. The police have registered an FIR under Section 118(b) (knowingly spreads rumours or gives false alarm to mislead the police, fire brigade, or any other essential service) of the Kerala Police Act, according to a TOI report.

In an unrelated incident, earlier in the month of May, two persons were arrested by the Kochi Metro police for allegedly writing ‘First Hit in Kochi’ in graffiti over a Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) coach. The coach was parked for maintenance in the metro rail yard in Muttam of Aluva. The duo were arrested based on CCTV footage which captured them in the act.

(With PTI inputs)

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