IndiGo Flight 6E2175, bound for Goa from Delhi, experienced a significant delay, resulting in a disturbing incident of physical violence. The Airbus A20N, scheduled to depart at 7.40 am, was delayed for nearly 10 hours due to adverse weather conditions, including dense fog, at Indira Gandhi International Airport.
The shocking incident unfolded as a disgruntled passenger, Sahil Kataria, confronted the flight’s co-captain, Anup Kumar. Kataria, visibly agitated, breached the barrier of a food service trolley and physically assaulted Mr. Kumar. A fellow passenger intervened, managing to pull Kataria away after he struck the co-captain at least once.
The incident was recorded by another passenger who was filming Captain Kumar’s announcement of further departure delays.
A passenger punched an Indigo capt in the aircraft as he was making delay announcement. The guy ran up from the last row and punched the new Capt who replaced the previous crew who crossed FDTL. Unbelievable ! @DGCAIndia @MoCA_GoI pic.twitter.com/SkdlpWbaDd
— Capt_Ck (@Capt_Ck) January 14, 2024
The widely shared video online depicts IndiGo crew members rushing to assist Mr. Kumar, while cabin crew members passionately admonish Kataria, emphasizing that such actions are unacceptable. Kataria responds defiantly, questioning why he cannot behave in such a manner.
The sequence of events leading to the assault remains unclear, but reports suggest that Kataria charged from the last row of the aircraft, raising concerns about the overall safety of passengers on board flights.
During the altercation, Kataria shouted demands such as “Chalana hai to chala, nahi to khol gate” (If you’re going to fly, then fly… otherwise open the gate) and expressed frustration about the prolonged delay.
It is unknown how long passengers had been confined within the plane, but the delayed departure and adverse weather conditions contributed to escalating tensions among those on board. The IndiGo flight eventually took off at 5.33 pm, marking a delay of nearly 10 hours. The flight landed at Goa International Airport at 7.58 pm, with a normal flight duration of 145 minutes or around two-and-a-half hours.
Following the assault at IndiGo flight, Sahil Kataria was taken into custody by the authorities. A police case has been registered under multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code, including ‘voluntarily causing hurt.’ All charged sections are reportedly bailable. The incident raises questions about passenger behavior and safety protocols, prompting authorities to address the issue seriously.
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