A serious incident occurred at the Srinagar airport on Friday, involving a senior Army officer who allegedly assaulted four ground staff members of SpiceJet over a baggage dispute. The confrontation took place at the boarding gate for flight SG-386, which was scheduled to depart for Delhi, and resulted in multiple employees sustaining serious injuries that required hospitalization.
According to a SpiceJet spokesperson, the officer was found to be carrying 16 kilograms of cabin baggage, which is significantly higher than the permissible limit of 7 kilograms. When staff members informed the officer of the excess baggage and requested he pay the additional fees, he reportedly refused and attempted to access the aerobridge without going through the necessary boarding procedures, thereby breaching aviation security regulations.
Following his attempt to bypass security, he was escorted back to the boarding area by an official from the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF). However, tensions escalated upon his return, leading to a violent altercation. Eyewitness accounts suggest that the officer began physically attacking four SpiceJet employees, employing punches and kicks, as well as using a queue stand as a weapon. The situation turned dire when one staff member lost consciousness after sustaining repeated blows. In an effort to assist his fallen colleague, another employee was struck in the jaw, resulting in visible injuries.
Emergency medical assistance was quickly summoned, and the injured staff members were transported to a local hospital for treatment. Reports indicate one employee suffered a spinal fracture, while others experienced severe injuries to their jaws and facial areas.
In response to this incident, SpiceJet has lodged a First Information Report (FIR) with the local police and reached out to the Ministry of Civil Aviation, demanding strict action be taken against the officer involved. Additionally, the airline has started the process of adding the individual to India’s no-fly list, which is a standard procedure in similar circumstances. The authorities have also secured CCTV footage of the incident, which has been submitted to the police to assist in their investigation.
