Video: Indigo passenger assaults pilot over flight delay due to fog, arrested

Delhi, Jan 15 (Indian Express) - Indigo Passenger Attacked Pilot: A passenger on board a Delhi to Goa flight of Indigo Airlines was arrested on Monday after he allegedly assaulted the plane’s pilot following a purported delay of 13 hours due to foggy conditions on Sunday evening.

The passenger, Sahil Kataria, who owns a stationery shop in Delhi, was later let out on bail. He was travelling with his wife.

Earlier in the day, Devesh Mahla, Deputy Commissioner of Police (IGI), said they received a complaint from Anup Kumar, the pilot of the flight who said Kataria assaulted and misbehaved with his co-pilot.

“He hit the co-pilot and made a nuisance inside the aircraft. A complaint in this regard has been received from Anup Kumar. On this basis, an FIR under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections pertaining to punishment for voluntarily causing hurt and wrongful restraint has been lodged,” said Mahla.

Mahla said a notice will be served to Kataria under Section 41 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) and he will be asked to join the probe. The offence is bailable.

#Watch | A passenger on board a Delhi to Goa flight of Indigo Airlines assaults the plane’s pilot after a purported delay of 13 hours due to foggy conditions on Sunday evening

Read here: https://t.co/kKEO9zPkaR pic.twitter.com/m3aSivmWbH

— The Indian Express (@IndianExpress) January 15, 2024

In the now-viral video of the incident at around 7 pm on Sunday, the pilot of the plane is seen addressing fliers about the delay when the accused in a yellow hoodie suddenly rushes towards him and drives a punch to his face. After being assaulted, the pilot is seen stepping back as one of the air hostesses tries to control the situation.

The passenger is seen hurling abuses at the pilot and saying if he cannot land the flight on time, he should open the aircraft gates and let all the passengers go. The air hostess is then heard screaming at the passenger, rebuking him for assaulting the pilot.

Another man comes ahead and tries to calm down the attacker and takes him back to his seat.

Indigo issued a statement after the incident, saying it is being referred to an independent internal committee for appropriate action.

“On January 14, 2024, during the announcement of a flight delay by the first officer of flight 6E2175, a passenger assaulted the first officer. As per protocol, the passenger was declared unruly and handed over to the local law enforcement agencies for further action,” it said in the statement.

“The incident is being referred to the independent internal committee for appropriate action and inclusion of the passenger on the ‘no-fly list’ as laid down in regulatory guidelines,” it added.

A senior officer said the passenger was identified from CCTV footage.

With dense fog disrupting flight operations in Delhi again on Monday, the IGI Airport saw multiple delays and cancellations. According to DIAL sources, five flights were diverted from Delhi between 1 am and 5 am, with one going to Ahmedabad and four to Jaipur.

According to Flightradar24, an online portal that tracks flights around the world using satellite technology, Delhi airport saw 180 flights delayed and 57 cancelled in departures. In arrivals, 99 flights were delayed and 49 were cancelled at the Delhi airport.

On X, DIAL said flights that are not CAT-III compliant may be affected. CAT III is a highly precise way for planes to land even in poor visibility, allowing them to descend to just 100 feet above the runway with clear guidance, and the runway needs to be visible within 200 metre.