NEW DELHI, Nov 8:
Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju today strongly condemned the assault on a passenger by IndiGo staff and has sought an independent report from aviation regulator DGCA, saying that fisticuffs are not acceptable in a civilised society.
While the ministry has sought a report from IndiGo, Raju said the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) will check whether certain procedures were not followed as the incident happened in the security area.
A video surfaced on Tuesday showing IndiGo staff assaulting a passenger at the Delhi airport. The incident happened on October 15 on the Tarmac — a security area that falls under airside.
Raju said that in a civilised society, there is no place for fisticuffs.
Fisticuffs of any kind have to be condemned “we want to condemn these kinds of incidents”, he told reporters.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has been asked to submit an independent report on the incident, he said while stressing that such barbarous things should not happen.
In the morning, IndiGo promoter Rahul Bhatia held meetings with Raju and civil aviation secretary R N Choubey.
Noting that any violation on the airside is dangerous, the minister said such barbarous things should not happen.
“I understand that some of them (procedure) have not been followed and notice will go from the BCAS as to why things have not been followed,” the minister said.
“We can’t have violations. These are incorrect. Can there be fisticuffs on the airside, “what is this?”, he remarked.
To a query on whether there would be any punishment for the airline, Raju said, “I have not studied that”.
Asked whether there could be any punitive action, he said that depends on a lot of things, adding that let the DGCA report come.
About the incident, Civil Aviation Secretary R N Choubey said “this is not on”.
Soon after the video surfaced, Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha condemned the incident and has sought a report from the airline.
IndiGo on Tuesday apologised for the incident.
In the video, a passenger is first seen being stopped from entering a coach, and then being pulled back by a ground staff. Another airline employee is seen restraining the traveller.
The passenger is seen fighting back and falling to the ground in the melee. (PTI)
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