A fake “24-hour stay” inside an airport by a Bengaluru YouTuber ends in arrest

Vikas Gowda, a 23-year-old YouTuber who has 1.3 lakh followers on his channel and is well-known for his daring antics, was detained and charged by Bengaluru airport police for “breaching security protocols,” according to a Times of India story. Vikas Gowda allegedly entered the grounds of Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) on April 7 at about 12:06 p.m. with a valid ticket for Air India’s Bengaluru-Chennai flight (AI-585) but did not board the aircraft. Rather, he explored the airport grounds and shot a video for his channel.

In the video, Vikas Gowda made fun of the security setup at the airport, saying he had been there for more than 24 hours without anybody noticing or questioning him. The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), in charge of the airport’s security, filed a complaint against him for disseminating false information after the video went viral.

Gowda was taken into custody and then freed on bond after the complaint. An FIR has been lodged against him under IPC sections 448 (trespassing) and 505 (statements creating public mischief) after the video was taken down.

“Gowda has been arrested and his phone is seized,” DCP North East Laxmi Prasad said to The New Indian Express.

A senior police official said that Vikas Gowda had overstated his statements in the video and that he had really been inside the airport for around six hours before departing. Gowda had purchased the lowest ticket in order to give the idea that he was a regular traveler, and he had entered the airport grounds with the purpose of filming recordings.

The senior police officer went on to say that Gowda had a disguised device on him that enabled him to “unlawfully access restricted areas and start taking pictures there,” and that he never approached the boarding gate after the security checks were completed at 12:06 p.m.

He is also heard bragging in Kannada that he could show how simple it is to bypass security by spending a whole day walking the airport.

According to the officer, while his video purports to show that he would remain on the property for a whole day, investigations showed that he departed after about four to five hours.

Gowda’s acts have been denounced by the CISF, which claims that an airport is a very sensitive place and should not be used for fun or mischief. They have promised to prosecute Gowda severely for his careless actions.