Passenger assaulted at Delhi airport - What happened and why the pilot was grounded

The SpiceJet passenger who has accused an Air India Express pilot of assaulting him at Delhi airport says he is still grappling with the shock of the incident, which unfolded in front of his family and left him injured. Speaking to NDTV’s Shiv Aroor, Ankit Dewan called the episode “deeply disturbing” and said it caused severe emotional distress to his wife and children.

Mr Dewan has alleged that Captain Virender Sejwal attacked him after he objected to the pilot allegedly pushing ahead in the boarding queue—an argument that turned what was meant to be a family holiday into a traumatic experience. “The ease with which people turn violent is shocking. You hear of such things happening on the streets, but to experience this at an airport was completely unexpected and extremely unsettling,” he told NDTV. Following the incident, Air India Express condemned the pilot’s conduct and relieved him of official duties.

Recalling the sequence of events, Mr Dewan said the confrontation began at the security check. Because he was travelling with a baby in a stroller, airport staff directed him and his family to use a staff-assisted security lane. A disagreement arose when a staff member asked him to place his mobile phone in front. During this exchange, he alleged, Captain Sejwal made a derogatory remark, questioned his background, and referred to him as “anpadh” (illiterate). After the verbal exchange, Mr Dewan moved ahead to the frisking area, but claimed the pilot followed him there and struck him.

“I still don’t understand why a passenger would be spoken to like that. Things heated up verbally, but it never crossed my mind that he would come back and physically attack me,” Mr Dewan said, adding that the pilot was physically stronger and that he had no chance to defend himself.

He further alleged that moments before the assault, his wife overheard the pilot telling a security officer that he intended to hit him. “He then came and attacked me. I’m shocked the CISF didn’t intervene,” he said.

According to Mr Dewan, only two CISF personnel were present at the spot at the time—one operating the X-ray scanner and the other frisking passengers—along with a woman officer. While he did not suffer serious injuries or require stitches, he said he continues to experience significant bodily pain.

Beyond the physical injuries, he said the emotional impact on his children was far more troubling. “By evening, my daughter seemed a little better, but during the flight she was extremely anxious. She has flown many times before, but this was the first time she was scared of flying. My wife tried to stay strong, but later that night, once the kids were asleep, she broke down. It was traumatic for all of us,” he told.

Mr Dewan has also claimed that he was pressured into writing a note stating that he would not take the matter further. Despite this, he later shared details of the incident on social media and tagged the Delhi Police. The police said they became aware of the case through the social media post and had not received any formal complaint either from Mr Dewan or the airline.

Air India Express has since confirmed that the pilot has been removed from duty and that an internal inquiry has been ordered before any disciplinary action. The airline clarified that the pilot was travelling as a passenger on another carrier at the time of the altercation. The Ministry of Civil Aviation has also stepped in, directing that the pilot be grounded and that a formal investigation be conducted.