New Delhi:Â A passenger onboard IndiGo flight 6E138 from Mumbai to Kolkata was slapped mid-air by a fellow traveler after experiencing a panic attack early Friday morning.
A video of the incident, now widely circulated on social media, shows two IndiGo crew members assisting a visibly distressed passenger through the aisle. As they passed, a man seated on the aisle suddenly stood up and slapped the victim, despite objections from crew and fellow passengers.
IndiGo officials confirmed that the passenger who was slapped had suffered a panic attack and the incident occurred shortly after the flight departed from Mumbai at 2:45 AM. Upon landing in Kolkata at 5:35 AM, the passenger who assaulted the victim was handed over to airport security personnel, as per the airline’s standard operating procedure.
The airline, however, stated there was no clarity yet on whether the individual responsible for the assault would be placed on the ‘no-fly list’.
The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), which is responsible for maintaining security within airport premises, did not respond to The Sunday Guardian’s queries regarding the handling of the incident post-landing.
This appears to be one of the first recorded instances in India of a passenger physically attacking another mid-flight. The incident has raised concerns over in-flight safety and the potential consequences of unchecked aggression in confined aircraft cabins.
