BANGALORE: Tamil actor Prithviraj, his wife and son spent some tense moments at the city's airport on Tuesday evening, when a Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) sub-inspector quoted the rulebook to deny the actor's 11-year-old autistic son entry into a Chennai-bound Air Deccan flight. The boy was later allowed to proceed after the matter was brought to the notice of a CISF inspector and Air Deccan's airport staff.

Mr. Prithviraj had arrived at the airport to board the 8.30 p.m. flight with his son and wife Beena Mohan. At the checking area, the sub-inspector reportedly misread his son's behaviour.

When questioned by the actor, the CISF officer quoted a section under the 1937 Aircraft Rule.

The actor told The Hindu that he had to answer some insensitive questions about his son, which he captured on his handycam and released to a television channel.

Certificate

When contacted, a top CISF official at the airport said persons with disabilities, according to the rulebook, required a medical certificate and had to be accompanied by an attendant. This was for the safety of the other passengers.

Many emergency landings had taken place in the past because of unpredictable behaviour of such persons, the official said.

In the case of the actor's son, the official said the sub-inspector referred the case to his superior.

Once the safety issue was cleared and since the boy was to be accompanied by his parents, he was allowed to go.

Mr. Prithviraj said the security personnel could not pinpoint the rule and had asked him to return the next day.

Only after the Air Deccan personnel intervened and alerted them on the flight time were they allowed to proceed, the actor said.

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