Indian pilot suspended for physically assaulting passenger

Passenger alleges he was ‘forced to write a letter’ stating he would not pursue the matter further

An Air India Express pilot has been suspended for allegedly assaulting a passenger during security check-in at the Delhi airport, the airline said on Saturday.

A SpiceJet passenger at Delhi airport’s Terminal 1 on Friday alleged that an off-duty Air India Express pilot physically assaulted him after an altercation escalated over the pilot cutting the security queue.

The passenger, Ankit Dewan, who was accompanied by his wife and two children, said he was “guided to use the security check that the staff uses because we had a 4-month-old baby in a stroller”.

At the security checkpoint, he said he questioned some staff members cutting the queue, after which an Air India Express (AIX) pilot, identified as Captain Virender Sejwal, allegedly abused him before physically assaulting him.

“The staff was cutting the queue ahead of me. On calling them out, Capt. Virender, who himself was doing the same thing, asked me if I was anpadh (uneducated), and couldn’t read the signs that said this entry was for staff,” the passenger wrote on X.

“A verbal scuffle broke out. Not able to exercise restraint, the AIX pilot proceeded to physically assault me, leaving me bloody. The blood in the photograph (first comment) on his shirt is also mine,” Mr Dewan said.

An Air India Express aircraft prepares to land at Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru (AFP via Getty Images)

He said the incident traumatised and scared his 7-year-old daughter, “who saw her father get assaulted brutally”.

The passenger also alleged he was “forced to write a letter stating that I will not pursue this matter further”, with his only other option being to either miss his flight and “throw the 1.2 lakhs holiday bookings down the drain”.

Mr Dewan also raised concerns on X about the delay in the airport authorities providing him with first aid.

“My wife kept requesting first aid. The guy got there after 15 minutes, but empty-handed,” he said in a post on X.

He alleged the airport police force also did not allow him to cross to the other side of the security checkpoint to the medical centre.

“After some 45 minutes, a suitcase was hauled in with medicines, and then I was given First Aid,” Mr Dewan said.

“What if someone needed it urgently? Have you ever heard of an emergency responder showing up empty-handed?” the passenger said.

He also alleged that airport authorities did not take “preventive action” to stop the assault.

“Virender Sejwal was getting frisked at the Security Check while continuing his verbal spat with me. There, he told the CISF guy, ‘main issko maar ke aata hu (I’ll come back after hitting him)’,” Mr Dewan said.

Air India Express said in a statement that the concerned employee “has been removed from official duties with immediate effect”, adding that “appropriate action will be taken pending thorough investigation”.

“We profoundly regret this incident at Delhi Airport, involving one of our employees who was travelling as a passenger on another airline. We extend our heartfelt empathy for the distress it has caused, and strongly condemn such behaviour,” the airline company said on X.

India’s aviation ministry responded that it “has taken serious cognisance of the incident and directed the airline to ground the pilot with immediate effect”.

The passenger wrote on X that he hoped Air India Express would “go beyond just suspension of the pilot”.

The Independent has reached out to AIX for comment.