A man who boarded a flight from Dubai to India was detained after he dressed as a woman on landing to pull a prank on his pal.
Officials in the outdoor visitors’ area at Cochin International Airport became suspicious after observing the surprise on the passenger’s face as his friend hugged him in drag.
A spokesperson for the airport told 7DAYS: “Our security team was especially concerned when they saw the commotion because the Indian defence minister was due to arrive.” Central Industrial Security Force recruits were also present on site awaiting the former Kerala chief minister’s entrance.
The man, who had arrived on an Emirates Airline flight, was immediately arrested on suspicion that he could pose a threat to the politician.
“Later, police corroborated his story ... it appears he did it because he was trying to fool his friend just to have some fun and surprise him,” the spokesperson revealed. “It was a harmless prank, but we could not take a risk, so he was detained until a thorough investigation was completed.”
He added: “It can only be funny when you don’t get caught I suppose. It’s best to avoid playing such jokes - even if it was not intended to hurt anyone - in high-security and crowded areas. An airport is not a place to play tricks.”
Police later released the prankster, but it was not clear if impersonation charges were also dropped.
