A 20-year-old female flight attendant was allegedly molested on board a Bengaluru-bound IndiGo flight by a passenger, who was later arrested. Police sources have confirmed that the incident happened on Tuesday, October 16 sometime before the flight’s scheduled departure from Mumbai airport, as reported by The Times of India.
He molested and verbally abused her
The 28-year-old accused, identified as Raju Gangappa, is a Bengaluru businessman who was returning from Mumbai by flight 6E-825, set to depart at 9:30 PM from Mumbai airport.
The alleged incident took place when the flight attendant was welcoming passengers on board. Gangappa, while passing near her, touched her indecently by pressing her back. Immediately, the woman retaliated and confronted him for molesting her, and then Gangappa allegedly verbally abused her.
“The flyer pressed my back and when I retaliated, he abused me verbally. I informed the incident to my senior before the flyer was offloaded with his baggage,” read excerpts from the complaint, as quoted by The Times of India.
The victim had notified the pilot and flight superintendent who called the CISF to the scene.
Police took immediate action
Reportedly, the harasser, who was apparently drunk, was detained by CISF officials which led to the flight being delayed by thirty minutes as the flight had to assemble backup crew members. The victim was escorted to the police station where she narrated her experience. Accordingly, an official FIR was lodged at around 11 PM, and the accused was arrested.
“He was handed over to the local police by the CISF officials and booked for molestation. He was produced in court on Wednesday,” Mumbai Mirror quoted a police official associated with the case.
The case has been filed against Gangappa under IPC Section 354 (outraging the modesty of a woman), and he was produced before Andheri court the following day. Police are trying to trace his previous flight details to detect any similar offence in the past, based on which his punishment will be sentenced. As per the last update, he was remanded in judicial custody and was to be produced at the court on Thursday.
Reportedly, Indigo is yet to make an official statement.
The Logical Indian take
Incidents of on-flight molestation and misbehaviour are not new in India, as many female flight attendants and women passengers have time and again recounted their horrifying ordeals of sexual harassment. Considering the high rate of sexual crimes in India, domestic and international airlines must try to create a safer environment for women crew members and passengers. In this case, The Logical Indian appreciates the prompt action of the airport authority and the police.
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