A police complaint has been filed against passengers involved in what appeared to be a case of serious physical assault on board a Bangkok-Kolkata flight earlier this week, civil aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said on Thursday, after a video of the incident went viral.
On Monday, a group of passengers – particularly an individual – on board a Thai Smile flight assaulted another person onboard after he refused to heed to safety directions from the crew before departure. After a verbal spat, a video recorded by one of people on board showed, the first person rained slaps and punches on the latter.
“Such behaviour is unacceptable,” Scindia said in a tweet in which he announced a case had been filed.
The case was lodged by the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security. “We have gone through all the reports we have received from various entities as well as the video circulating on social media. It is a fact that a violent incident has taken place inside the aircraft. We have filed a complaint with the jurisdictional police station of Bidhannagar, Kolkata against those involved. The police is investigating the case. Further action will follow,” said Zulfiquar Hasan, director general, BCAS.
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{{/usCountry}}But, an official at the regulator’s office said the individuals involved are unlikely to be put on the no-fly list. “It is a foreign operator and a foreign registered aircraft and place of occurrence is Bangkok. We are governed by the Chicago convention in aviation, and let us respect that. (Since) it is a foreign registered aircraft, we have no powers /oversight. Our laws do not apply to them,” the official from directorate general of civil aviation (DGCA) said, asking not to be named.
A second official aware of the matter, who also asked not to be named, said the police complaint includes charges for voluntarily causing hurt and criminal intimidation.
The incident took place when a person named Ahmed Mohammed Hussain, seated on 37C, refused to follow safety protocols while the flight was taxiing.
“Stating that his back was aching, the passenger seated on 37C repeatedly refused to upright his seat back, which is one of the safety norms for all passengers, and hence was asked to obey,” this person said.
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“The passenger even refused to fasten his seat belt when the pilot announced to do so. In fact, when he was informed that the pilot would have to be alerted, he refused to obey – telling the crew to let the pilot know that he would not fasten his seat belt,” the official added.
It was then that the passenger seated on 41C, whose identity was yet to be ascertained, came forward and started arguing with the person not complying with the direction. The argument soon devolved into a physical assault.
The pilot was informed about the situation and take-off was delayed until the situation was brought under control and the passengers settled in their respective seats for a smooth take off.
The crew had offered the passengers sitting on 37A and B another seat; but they remained in their seats. The person on 37C was not served alcohol as a result of the altercation, the person quoted above said.