An IndiGo flight bound for Tirupati from Rajahmundry carrying nearly 70 passengers on board, including actress-politician and Yuvajana Shramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) MLA RK Roja, was diverted to the Bengaluru airport on Tuesday (December 14) afternoon due to technical issues. According to reports, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leader and former Andhra Pradesh Finance Minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu was also traveling in the same flight. 

Renigunta Airport sources told IANS that the flight had been diverted to Bengaluru as it was better equipped to repair the snag. Although no comment has been issued by the airline, Roja took to social media to provide an update on the situation. The Nagari MLA put up a video informing that the aircraft doors were closed, with the passengers asked to wait for a word on the journey status. The IndiGo 6E 7265 flight was initially scheduled for arrival at around 10.55 a.m. at Tirupati’s Renigunta airport. 

Speaking to Sakshi TV, Roja said that the passengers had been asked to not exit the aircraft and had remained inside for nearly four hours. She told, "We are waiting inside, as we are not sure if they have permission (to let us deboard). At first, we thought due to cloudy weather, the ground wasn’t visible which is why they couldn’t land in Renigunta. Now we have found out there was a technical problem." Furthermore, Roja stated that there was panic among some of the passengers, while also adding that she had been experiencing physical pain from being seated for a longer time due to a surgery she had undergone recently. She had requested authorities to be allowed to leave the aircraft on medical grounds. Sakshi also reports that Roja alleged that the passengers had been asked to pay Rs 5,000 each to deboard the flight, with no comment being issued from the airline yet. Times of India has reported that the passengers were allowed to leave the aircraft after its arrival at the Bengaluru airport where Roja and the others thereafter reached their destinations by road.