Pilot insisted on timely take-off, had an argument with Nirmal Singh: Sources

Amid the uproar over national aviation carrier Air India offloading three passengers allegedly to accommodate Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju, his assistant and Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh, a new version has added fuel to the fire over the issue.

The version of the pilot of the Air India flight, who is facing a complaint over the incident, has come to the light. Sources close to him have claimed that the pilot had insisted on timely take off of the flight.

According to sources, the pilot's insistence on taking off the plane as per schedule had led to an argument between him and Nirmal Singh.

Backing the stand of the pilot on the issue, the sources pointed that the Leh Airport management had issued an advisory saying no flights should operate after 10:30 am due to weather conditions.

Earlier reports had said that Rijiju and Singh had to face the ire of the pilot and passengers as the flight got delayed after they arrived late at the airport.

Sources had said when Rijiju and Singh reached the tarmac of the Leh airport on June 24, an agitated Rohan Saharan, the pilot of AI 446, came down from the aircraft through the ladder and confronted them saying because of their late arrival, the flight was held up and not allowed to fly.

Saharan shouted at Rijiju and Singh saying because of VIPs like them common people were suffering. Singh shouted back and told the pilot that he should behave properly and that he (Dy CM) would lodge a complaint against Saharan with the Air India and the Civil Aviation Ministry for his "misbehaviour".

When Rijiju and Singh finally entered the aircraft, they again had to encounter some angry passengers who were unhappy over the delay of the flight for nearly an hour.

Here also, Singh explained to the passengers that they had no knowledge about the advancing of the flight and that was reason for their delayed arrival.

However, the Union minister kept mum on both the occasions. "Rijiju did not react to the pilot's shouting, or to the passengers' angry reaction and kept mum," a source said.

(With PTI Inputs)