Army officer who assaulted SpiceJet staffer put on no-fly list for 5 years: DGCA

The army officer who had assaulted a SpiceJet staffer at Srinagar airport was put on the no-fly list for five years, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) informed on Tuesday. On August 4, SpiceJet employee Mudasir Ahmad, who was assaulted by an Army officer at Srinagar airport, recalled the violent incident and said the Army officer hit him in the face with baggage after he asked him to pay for extra baggage. Describing the assault, Mudasir Ahmad told, "He hit me on my face with baggage. He slapped me and started hitting me. He used his fist and feet to hit me. At the end, he punched me and I fell down." The SpiceJet employee, who suffered a spinal fracture after the assault, said that the passenger's hand baggage weighed 16 kg and was carrying two bags, while just one bag weighing 7 kg is allowed. The officer started lashing at him upon being stopped. "He had two bags. I stopped him for checking. As soon as I asked him to move to the side, he started shouting. I told him that his hand baggage weighed 16 kg and he was carrying two bags, while just one, weighing 7 kg, was allowed. I told him that he would have to pay for extra baggage. He started shouting again," Ahmad recalled. Further, the Army officer even pushed the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) staff at the airport and entered the boarding gate. "I called up my Duty Manager and asked him to come. The Manager also explained to him. He (the passenger) pushed CISF staff and entered the boarding gate, which is not allowed. CISF staff brought him back. He was again told to pay up," he said. "At the boarding gate, he pulled out a few things from his bag and threw them at a member of the staff who was in front of him," Ahmad added. The incident occurred on July 26, when the army officer allegedly assaulted four SpiceJet ground staff members at Srinagar Airport. On August 3, the Indian Army issued a statement saying it was fully cooperating with the authorities in the investigations into the case. The Army said it is aware of the incident and emphasised its commitment to high standards of discipline. It also assured full cooperation with authorities in investigating the matter. As per the statement from the Indian Army official, "The matter involving an alleged altercation between an Army personnel and airline staff at Srinagar Airport on 26 July has come to the notice of the Indian Army. The Indian Army 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."