30-day ban, FIR lodged: Air India, Delhi Police on drunk man peeing on passenger
Air India on Wednesday said it has taken a “very serious view” of the incident where a drunk man allegedly urinated on a female passenger on a New York-Delhi flight in November last year.
The airline said a police complaint has already been lodged and, as a first step, it has banned the passenger in question for 30 days. Air India further stated that it has constituted an internal committee to probe lapses on part of the airline’s crew and “address the deficiencies that delayed quick redressal of the situation.”
The incident came to light after a letter from the woman to Tata Group chairman N Chandrasekaran, first reported by the Times of India, surfaced in which she had recalled her harrowing experience on the flight. The woman alleged that the drunk man walked to her seat, unzipped his pants and urinated. After urinating, the man continued to expose his private parts and only moved when other passengers asked him to leave. The woman’s clothes, shoes, and the bag got soaked in urine and the crew gave her a set of new clothes and put sheets on her urine-soaked seat.
She said the passenger walked scot-free after the flight landed in Delhi despite her alerting the cabin crew.
“A police complaint has already been lodged and Air India is committed to assist the law enforcement agencies as well as regulatory authorities,” the airline said.
“As a first step, Air India has banned the passenger for 30 days, the maximum it is permitted to unilaterally do so, and reported the matter to the DGCA for further action.”
The airline added that it is in “regular contact with the aggrieved passenger and her family during the investigation and reporting process.”
A senior police officer said an FIR has been registered based on the complaint of the woman, which was shared by Air India on January 4, under Sections 354, 294, 509, and 510 of the Indian Penal Code and 23 of the Air Crafts Act.
“Air India allegedly shared basic details of the incident with police on December 28 after which police tried to contact the woman but she said she has given her complaint to Air India which should be used as her original complaint,” the officer added.
Taking a suo moto congnizance, the National Commission for Woman has sought a detailed report from Delhi Police within five days on the action taken in the issue. The Commission has also sought personal intervention from Chandrasekaran for taking “appropriate action against the culprit for the horrendous/awful behaviour to an elderly woman.”
“A detailed action taken report must be communicated to the Commission within 7 days,” NCW chairperson Rekha Sharma said.