Bengaluru man arrested in Glasgow for provocative outburst on EasyJet flight, creating panic: Report
A 41-year-old Bengaluru man was arrested in Glasgow for creating chaos on an EasyJet flight by shouting hostile slogans against Trump and making bomb threats.
A 41-year-old man originally from Bengaluru was apprehended in Glasgow after creating panic onboard an easyJet flight by loudly expressing hostility toward US President Donald Trump and chanting religious slogans, according to police officials. The man, identified as Abhay Devadas Nayak, reportedly suffers from a psychiatric condition.
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Authorities have contacted Nayak’s family in southern Bengaluru, who explained that he has been diagnosed with schizophrenia. Nayak is from a business family with roots in the Honnavar area of Uttara Kannada, while his siblings are doctors working overseas, The Indian Express reported. His family stated that he has traveled extensively and that his passport was issued in Bengaluru.
The incident occurred on an easyJet flight traveling from London Luton airport to Glasgow on July 27, when Nayak disrupted the flight by shouting provocative statements, including threats about bombs and exclamations such as “Death to America, death to Trump,” and “Allahu Akbar.”
Videos circulated online captured Nayak standing up, shouting, and then being restrained by fellow passengers and crew. During the scuffle, Nayak claimed that he was protesting because Trump was in Scotland that day, hoping his actions would send a message.
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During the ordeal, Nayak told passengers that he was a refugee in the UK without a passport, possessed residency documentation for Wales, and that his earlier bomb threat was false. An ATM card in his wallet revealing his first name helped confirm his identity, the report said.
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Scotland police reported responding to the disturbance after the plane landed in Glasgow at around 8:20 am on July 27. Nayak was taken into custody upon landing and appeared in court the following day without entering a plea. Official sources in Karnataka suggest that Nayak could be returned to India without formal charges being pressed.
Public records from India show Nayak established a business, Antrix Ventures, in Bengaluru in 2010 with a relative. UK authorities have charged him with violations of the Air Navigation Order for recklessly endangering the aircraft and those onboard.