Drunk man urinated on woman passenger on New York-Delhi Air India flight in Nov
Air India did not comment on the reason for the delay in reporting the matter, which has prompted the aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to seek a report
A drunk man allegedly urinated on a woman co-passenger in the business class of Air India’s November 26 New York-Delhi flight, police said and added a First Information Report (FIR) was registered over a month later on Wednesday when the airline registered a complaint.
Air India did not comment on the reason for the delay in reporting the matter, which has prompted the aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to seek a report. “We have sought a report from the airline and will take action against those found negligent,” a DGCA official said, requesting anonymity.
The airline said the accused, whose identity was not immediately clear and is yet to be arrested, has been banned for 30 days, the maximum it is permitted to unilaterally do so. It said the airline has reported the matter to the DGCA.
Air India cited civil aviation rules and said an internal committee has been constituted to probe lapses on part of Air India’s crew and to address the deficiencies that delayed a quick redressal.
The accused has been booked under the Indian Penal Code’s Sections 354 (assault or criminal force with an intent to outrage a woman’s modesty), 294 (obscene act in a public place), 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman), 510 (misconduct in public by drunken person) and the Aircraft Act.
A police officer said Air India shared basic details of the incident with them on December 28. “...police tried to contact the woman, who said she had sent her complaint to Air India...” the officer said, requesting anonymity.
Air India maintained it has taken a “very serious view of the incident”. In a statement, the airline said the passenger behaved “in an unacceptable and undignified manner” that caused extreme distress to a fellow passenger. “A police complaint has already been lodged and Air India is committed to assisting the law enforcement agencies as well as regulatory authorities,” it said.
The airline said it has been in regular contact with the aggrieved passenger and her family during the investigation and reporting process.
The National Commission for Women has taken a cognisance of its own in the matter and written to the airline and police chief. In a letter to N Chandrasekharan, the chairperson of the Tata Group that owns the airline, the commission said it is anguished over the incident while seeking his intervention for action against the accused for “the horrendous/ awful behaviour” with an elderly woman on flight and violating her right to dignity and safety. “A detailed action taken report must be communicated to the Commission within 7 days,” it said.
