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Kolkata Airport Mosque Prayer Ban Upheld, High Court Cites Flydubai Incident.
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News18•01-10-2026, 15:58
Kolkata Airport Mosque Prayer Ban Upheld, High Court Cites Flydubai Incident.
- •Calcutta High Court refused interim relief for prayers at the mosque inside Kolkata airport.
- •Justice Krishna Rao's bench cited national security and global incidents, specifically mentioning the recent Flydubai incident.
- •The Flydubai incident involved a co-pilot attacking the captain with a deadly weapon mid-flight.
- •Airport Authority informed the court that people were accessing the runway and apron, posing a significant security threat.
- •Petitioners stated prayers had been conducted peacefully for 50 years, but were suddenly banned in July without notice.
Key Questions Answered
The Calcutta High Court refused interim relief by citing national security concerns and worldwide incidents, specifically noting a recent event where a co-pilot attacked a captain mid-flight on a Flydubai plane.
The Airport Authority and central government stated that people enter the premises through various routes and can breach security to reach the runway directly, posing a major threat given increased security concerns since past attacks.
Petitioners argued that prayers had been conducted peacefully there for about 50 years with thorough CISF checks, and they expressed willingness to use alternative routes or a list-based entry system.
