NEW DELHI, Feb 2: An Indian court on Monday charged a passenger for threatening to hijack a flight carrying 160 people in a scare that triggered a major security alert at New Delhi airport.

The Indigo airlines Airbus A320 plane was landing in the Indian capital from the tourist resort state of Goa on Sunday evening when the pilot reported that an unruly male passenger had threatened to hijack the plane.

The jet was taken to an isolated area of the Indira Gandhi International Airport, where it was surrounded by armed security forces.

The passengers disembarked unharmed three hours later.

A Delhi court charged Jitendra Kumar with endangering life and personal safety, and criminal intimidation.

Another man and woman were released by police after being detained in connection with the incident.

The NDTV news channel reported that Kumar had threatened to blow up the aircraft after refusing to sit down when asked by flight attendants.—AFP