Indian origin man lives undetected in Chicago airport amid fear of COVID-19; arrested

A 36-year-old Indian-origin man Aditya Singh who hails from the suburbs of Los Angeles, California lived undetected for nearly three months in a secure area of Chicago's O'Hare International Airport since October 19. Singh was arrested on Monday and  has been charged with felony criminal trespass to a restricted area of an airport and misdemeanour theft. Due to Coronavirus pandemic, the man was too scared to fly, informed US authorities. 

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As per PTI reports, prosecutors told a court that on October 19, Singh arrived at O’Hare on a flight from Los Angeles and has ever since allegedly lived in the airport's security zone without detection. He was arrested after two United Airlines staff asked him to produce his identification. He showed them a badge, but it reportedly belonged to an operations manager who reported it missing in October.

Singh was arrested after two United Airlines staff asked him to produce his identification. He showed them a badge, but it reportedly belonged to an operations manager who reported it missing in October. After which the airline employees called 911 and police took him into custody in terminal 2. 

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According to Assistant State Attorney Kathleen Hagerty, Singh found the staff badge in the airport and was scared to go home due to pandemic. He managed to live on handouts from other passengers, Hagerty told Cook County Judge Susana Ortiz. The judge expressed surprise at the circumstances of the case.

“So if I understand you correctly, you’re telling me that an unauthorised, non-employee individual was allegedly living within a secure part of the O’Hare airport terminal from Oct. 19, 2020, to Jan. 16, 2021, and was not detected? I want to understand you correctly,” Ortiz said as per PTI.

According to Assistant Public Defender Courtney Smallwood, Singh lives iin the Los Angeles suburb of Orange with roommates and does not have a criminal background. He has a master's degree in hospitality and is unemployed. Though the circumstances were unusual, the allegations were non-violent, acknowledged Smallwood. Singh has been barred from entering the airport if he is able to post the USD 1,000 for bail. He is due back in court on January 27. 

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As per PTI report, the judge said that the court finds these facts and circumstances quite shocking for the alleged period of time that this occurred.

“Being in a secured part of the airport under a fake ID badge allegedly, based upon the need for airports to be absolutely secure so that people feel safe to travel, I do find those alleged actions do make him a danger to the community,” Ortiz said.

Chicago Department of Aviation's reaction

The Chicago Department of Aviation, which oversees the city's airports, said in a statement, "While this incident remains under investigation, we have been able to determine that the accused did not pose a security risk to the airport or to the travelling public". 

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(With PTI Inputs)