![\"Laser](\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/thumb\/msid-132489643,imgsize-142126,width-400,height-225,resizemode-75\/rajiv-gandhi-international-airport-reports-over-one-hundred-laser-beam-incidents-recently-file-photo-enhanced-with-ai.jpg\" "\\"Rajiv")
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nHYDERABAD: Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) has emerged as one of the country’s worst-affected airports for laser beam incidents, with more than 100 such cases reported over the past two years.The rising number of incidents has raised serious concerns among aviation experts, who warn that laser strikes pose a significant threat to flight safety, especially during take-offs and landings.The issue came into focus about two weeks ago when a Lufthansa flight from Frankfurt was struck by a laser beam while on final approach to RGIA. The beam reportedlyhit the cockpit, temporarily affecting the pilots’ visibility during one of the most critical phases of the flight.<\/p>\n Data from the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) shows that more than 1,000 laser beam incidents were reported at 43 airports across the country during 2024 and 2025. Hyderabad alone accounted for nearly 10% of these cases.More strikingly, even larger and busier airports such as Mumbai and Bengaluru recorded less than half the number of laser incidents reported at RGIA during the same period.The directorate general of civil aviation (DGCA) prohibits the use of false lights, including laser beams, in the vicinity of aerodromes if they are likely to endanger aircraft safety or interfere with visual navigation aids.<\/p>\n Laser menance<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Although such incidents largely went unreported until 2023, MoCA records indicate a sharp increase from 2024 onwards. Since then, Hyderabad has recorded the fourth-highest number of laser beam incidents in the country, behind only Delhi, Chennai and Kolkata.\u201cThe increase in frequency is a matter of serious concern because even a brief laser strike can temporarily blind a pilot for a few seconds, potentially leading to an untoward incident if not handled promptly,\u201d said Capt C S Randhawa, president of the Federation of Indian Pilots.\u201cSuch acts pose a threat to aviation safety and must be prevented through stricter enforcement,\u201dhe added.Authorities have identified powerful laser lights used at wedding halls, farmhouses and event venues around the airport as the primary source of these incidents. The beams often extend into the aircraft’s approach path, creating a potential hazard for pilots during landing.Following the rise in such incidents, the police have issued notices to owners of establishments located near the Shamshabad airport.\u201cThere are four farmhouses and two wedding halls close to the airport. We have directed them to refrain from using powerful laser beams that could interfere with aircraft operations,\u201d a Shamshabad police officer said.<\/div>\nHyderabad sees 10% of over 1k laser beam incidents reported in 2024-25<\/b><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n
![\"Laser](\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/photo\/msid-132489642\/laser-menance.jpg\" "\\"Laser")
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