Yogesh Tripathi

BHOPAL: There was a major security breach at Raja Bhoj Airport in Bhopal when a 22-year-old college student — who allegedly wanted to play commando — sneaked into the state hangar on Sunday evening, vandalized a parked helicopter and blocked a SpiceJet flight that was moving for takeoff.

The state hangar and airport are in the same compound, without even a fence separating the two. Government aircraft and chartered planes use the hangar.

CISF personnel arrested the suspect, Yogesh Tripathi, who sports a crew cut and goatee and wore camouflage trousers. Yogesh told security personnel that he breached airport security because he “wanted to get into commando training”. His family is bewildered by this claim and says he had never shown any inclination for military service.

CISF deputy commandant Virender Singh told TOI that the incident took place around 6pm. “State hangar is the responsibility of state police. The accused entered the state hangar through the gate before committing the crime,” said Singh.

On entering the hangar, Yogesh headed straight for a helicopter. “He started vandalizing the chopper. A CISF jawan posted near the hanger saw this and ran after him. The accused ran towards Raja Bhoj airport, which is internally connected with the hangar,” said Singh.

Yogesh sprinted into the apron area and allegedly stood in front of an Udaipur-bound SpiceJet flight that was about to fly. The pilots stopped on seeing the intruder. “He began banging his fist on the plane,” said Singh. CISF jawans overpowered him and handed him to Gandhi Nagar police. Singh added CISF will seek an explanation from state police about the security goof-up. A video of the vandalized chopper went viral on social media. It shows the nose panel of the chopper yanked off, parts of the engine broken, and window panels on both sides smashed.

‘A psychiatrist will evaluate suspect’s mental stability’

During interrogation, Yogesh told police officers that he did this because he wanted to get into commando training, say sources. His father, Vishwa Mohan Tripathi , a government employee, told TOI that he had become short tempered in the past few months. “Yogesh is my youngest child. We are shocked, and have no clue what prompted him to do this,” he said.

DIG-Bhopal Irshad Wali said a psychiatrist has been called to evaluate the his mental status. “We are checking his background also. We want to know whether he consumed any contraband,” he said. Cops were yet to register an FIR. Police have said that accused Yogesh will be charged for trespassing into a highly secured area, said police.

