Army officer attacks 4 SpiceJet staff over baggage dispute; FIR filed
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New Delhi: SpiceJet has alleged that a senior Army officer assaulted four of its ground staff at Srinagar airport on July 26 while boarding flight SG-386 to Delhi, leaving one staff member with a spinal fracture and others with serious injuries. An FIR has been lodged, and the airline has begun the process of placing the passenger on the no-fly list as per civil aviation rules.
According to a statement issued by SpiceJet, the incident occurred after the passenger was informed that his two cabin bags, weighing a total of 16 kilograms, more than double the permitted 7-kilogram allowance, would incur additional charges. Upon being told to pay for the excess baggage, the passenger reportedly refused and attempted to forcefully enter the aerobridge without completing the boarding process, in violation of airport security protocols. He was then escorted back to the gate by a CISF official.
At the boarding gate, the airline claims the passenger became increasingly aggressive and physically assaulted four staffers. Video footage circulating on social media shows the passenger attacking the staff and using a queue stand as a weapon. One employee was knocked unconscious but was still repeatedly kicked and hit. Another suffered heavy bleeding from the nose and mouth after receiving a strong kick to the jaw while assisting the unconscious colleague.
SpiceJet confirmed that the injured staff were immediately taken to hospital and are undergoing treatment. One employee suffered a spinal fracture, while others sustained jaw injuries and other serious trauma.
The airline has secured CCTV footage of the incident from airport authorities and handed it over to the police as part of the investigation. SpiceJet has also informed the civil aviation ministry, calling the attack a “murderous assault” and urging appropriate action against the accused.
The airline strongly condemned the violence and asserted that it will pursue the matter to its “fullest legal and regulatory conclusion.”
This comes a day after IndiGo banned a passenger from flying for assaulting a co-traveller onboard a Mumbai-Kolkata flight.
With PTI inputs
