Srinagar, Aug 03: A senior Army officer allegedly assaulted four SpiceJet employees at Srinagar airport following a dispute over excess cabin baggage, the airline said on Sunday.
SpiceJet stated that its staff sustained severe injuries, including a spinal fracture and a serious jaw injury, describing the incident as a “murderous assault.”
The Indian Army, through its spokesman, said it is committed to upholding the highest standards of discipline and conduct and takes all allegations seriously. “Full cooperation is being extended to the authorities in investigating the case,” the spokesman added.
A case has been registered against Lieutenant Colonel Ritesh Kumar Singh, posted at the High Altitude Warfare School (HAWS) in Gulmarg. No arrests have been made yet.
According to the airline spokesman, the incident took place on July 26 during the check-in for a Delhi-bound flight. The passenger, Lt. Col. Singh was carrying two cabin bags weighing a total of 16 kg, more than twice the airline’s permitted limit of 7 kg.
However, when the ground staff informed the officer of the excess baggage and requested payment for the applicable charges, he refused to pay the amount and turned violent.
A video of the incident showed the officer assaulting the staff with a steel signboard stand. SpiceJet said the officer refused to pay the requested amount and then “forcefully entered the aerobridge without completing the boarding process,” which constitutes a “clear violation of aviation security protocols”.
A CISF official escorted the passenger back to the gate, at which point the situation escalated. The Army officer grew increasingly aggressive and physically assaulted four members of the SpiceJet ground staff.
“Our staff members suffered a spinal fracture and serious jaw injuries after being attacked with punches, repeated kicks and a queue stand. One SpiceJet employee collapsed unconscious on the floor, but the passenger continued kicking and hitting the fainted employee,” the airline said.
“Another staff member suffered bleeding from the nose and mouth after receiving a forceful kick to the jaw while bending down to assist the colleague who had fainted,” the airline said in a statement.
The four injured employees were immediately taken to a hospital for treatment. An FIR has been registered with the local police over the incident, and the airline has secured and submitted CCTV footage of the incident to the authorities.
The airline has also initiated the process to place the passenger on the no-fly list under civil aviation regulations.
SpiceJet has also formally written to the Ministry of Civil Aviation, apprising them of the incident and requesting appropriate action against the passenger.
