New Delhi, May 4 -- A passenger opened the emergency exit of an Air Arabia aircraft and jumped onto the taxiway a minute after it landed at the Chennai International Airport early on Sunday, triggering a security scare and temporarily disrupting operations at the main runway, officials aware of the matter said. The 29-year-old man suffered only minor injuries and was taken into custody by the Chennai police. Airport authorities scrambled to secure the area, while operations on the primary runway (known as 07/25) were briefly halted. Flight G9471, an Airbus A320, landed in Chennai from Sharjah at 3.23am. Around a minute later, the passenger opened the front-left emergency exit door and jumped off the jet onto taxiway V, with the aircraft on its way to the terminal. Aircraft usually taxi at speeds between 10 knots and 20 knots (between 18.5km/hr and 37km/hr), according to airlines' operating protocol. "The incident took place around 3.25am," an official said. "Airline staff informed security personnel and took the passenger to local police, who took him into custody," the official added. Police said the man, who was in custody at the airport police station, told investigators he was mentally ill. "The man is from Pudukkottai in Tamil Nadu. He insists he is mentally ill and therefore jumped off the aircraft. Security agencies are investigating the matter," an airport official said. Airline officials said the passenger was seated "near the emergency exit" but did not disclose his seat number. Generally, the front left emergency exit on an Airbus A320 family aircraft is opened by lifting the operating handle, which unlatches the plug-type door and swings it outward. However, such an act is a violation according to Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) rules. The incident affected operations at the airport for about an hour. A second official said the aircraft remained at the spot where he jumped till 4.25am, when it was towed to a parking bay. Runway operations resumed around 4.35 am. During the main runway's closure, some flights were handled through the secondary runway (12/30). According to officials, an incoming British Airways flight BA0035 from London was diverted to Bengaluru. At least five other flights, including services to Doha, Ahmedabad and Dubai, were delayed by 35 to 40 minutes. Officials said departures to Bangkok and Abu Dhabi, as well as an arriving Abu Dhabi flight, were routed through the secondary runway during the disruption....