Mumbai: A cardiologist has accused IndiGo staff of manhandling him and offloading him from a Lucknow-Bangalore flight on Monday after he complained of mosquitoes inside the aircraft.

Dr Saurabh Rai said he would take "legal recourse" against the airline.

IndiGo has claimed that Rai was offloaded at Lucknow for unruly behaviour and accused him of going to the length of inciting co-passengers to damage the aircraft.

Civil aviation minister Suresh Prabhu has ordered an inquiry.

Rai said his cabin was full of mosquitoes and that he had repeatedly asked the flight attendants whether something could be done to remove them, but to no avail.

After the aircraft door was shut, he says, he asked whether the crew members could arrange for a mosquito repellent but there was no response.

After a few minutes, Rai says, airline staff rushed towards his seat, caught him by the collar and dragged him to the ramp. "After that they de-boarded me... then they told me that I can fly only if I tender an apology," he said over the phone.

Rai said the plane took off without him as he refused to apologise, and he was forced to buy a new ticket and delete all the photographs from his phone that he had taken inside the aircraft. Rai claimed that IndiGo staff had told him that mosquitoes were found all over India, "so will you leave the country?"

IndiGo has claimed that a cardiologist who accused the airline staff of manhandling him for complaining about mosquitoes had shouted "hijack" during the altercation.

"(Dr Saurabh) Rai had initially expressed concerns regarding mosquitoes on board. Before his concerns could be addressed, he became aggressive and used threatening language including the word 'hijack'. He also attempted to instigate other passengers to damage the aircraft," IndiGo said, responding to queries on Twitter.

It added: "At IndiGo, there is no compromise on matters of safety and security. Further, we would like to mention here that the National Green Tribunal has prohibited disinfectant fumigation in aircraft while passengers are onboard."

Rai said: "If they allege that I shouted 'hijack' and indulged in unruly behaviour, why did they not search me or my baggage? Why did they allow me to travel on another (IndiGo) flight instead of filing a police complaint?"