Army Officer Banned from SpiceJet Flights for 5 Years After Staff Assault at Srinagar Airport
Committee under Civil Aviation Rules upheld ban; FIR filed as airline terms incident a ‘murderous assault’.
A senior Indian Army officer has been barred from flying SpiceJet for five years after allegedly assaulting its ground staff at Srinagar airport, the airline said on Tuesday. The decision was upheld by a committee set up under the Civil Aviation Rules (CAR).
The incident occurred on July 26 at the boarding gate of flight SG 386 from Srinagar to Delhi after a dispute over excess baggage charges. SpiceJet said the lieutenant colonel-rank officer was carrying 16 kg in cabin luggage — more than double the permitted limit — and allegedly forced his way into the aerobridge without completing boarding formalities, violating aviation security protocols. He was escorted back by CISF personnel.
“At the gate, the passenger grew increasingly aggressive and physically assaulted four ground staff members,” SpiceJet stated in its complaint to the civil aviation ministry, describing the incident as a “murderous assault”. One staffer sustained a spinal fracture, while another suffered jaw injuries.
A video of the altercation, showing the officer hitting staff with a queue stand, went viral on August 3. Following review, the CAR committee recommended the maximum penalty, imposing a five-year no-fly ban.
An FIR under Section 115 (voluntarily causing hurt) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) was filed against the officer, who is currently posted in Kashmir.
Under aviation regulations, unruly behaviour can lead to a no-fly ban ranging from three months to two years or more in extreme cases. Aggrieved passengers are allowed to appeal within 60 days, with an appellate committee headed by a retired judge mandated to decide within 30 days.
India has placed 379 passengers on the no-fly list in the past five years, including 48 individuals until July 30 this year, according to data tabled in Parliament.
