Srinagar/New Delhi: Police have registered a case against a senior army officer for allegedly assaulting and injuring four employees of a private airline at Srinagar International Airport last week, causing a spinal fracture to one of them, officials said here Sunday.
A case under Section 115 of BNS has been registered against Lieutenant Colonel R K Singh for assaulting employees of SpiceJet airline following a disagreement over payment of extra baggage charges by the army officer July 26, they said.
Section 115 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) deals with the offence of voluntarily causing hurt to another person.
Lt Colonel Singh, who is currently posted at the Army’s High Altitude Warfare School (HAWS) at Gulmarg in Baramulla district, was to board a SpiceJet flight to Delhi when the incident took place.
Asked about the incident, Army officials said they are awaiting the conclusion of the pending investigation and the Army is fully committed to maintaining discipline and mutual respect in all civil spaces across the country.
The incident was caught on camera and a video which has gone viral on social media showed the enraged army officer hitting several airline employees with an iron stand.
The airline issued a detailed statement about the incident, saying one of the four victims of the assault had suffered spinal injuries.
The airline also said it has initiated the process to place the passenger on the no-fly list in line with civil aviation regulations.
“A passenger grievously assaulted four SpiceJet employees at the boarding gate of flight SG-386 from Srinagar to Delhi on July 26, 2025. Our staff members suffered a spinal fracture and serious jaw injuries after being attacked with punches, repeated kicks and a queue stand,” the SpiceJet statement said.
According to the airline, one employee fell unconscious on the floor, but the passenger continued kicking and hitting the victim.
“Another staff member suffered bleeding from the nose and mouth after receiving a forceful kick to the jaw while bending down to assist the colleague who had fainted,” it added.
SpiceJet said the passenger, a senior Army officer, was carrying two pieces of cabin baggage weighing a total of 16 kg, more than double the permitted limit of 7 kg.
“When politely informed of the excess baggage and asked to pay the applicable charges, the passenger refused and forcefully entered the aerobridge without completing the boarding process – a clear violation of aviation security protocols. He was escorted back to the gate by a CISF official,” the statement said.
At the gate, the airline said the passenger grew increasingly aggressive.
It could not be immediately ascertained whether the passenger was detained at the airport after the incident.
An FIR has been registered with the local police, and the airline has initiated the process to place the passenger on the no-fly list in accordance with civil aviation regulations, the statement said.
SpiceJet said it has also written to the civil aviation ministry, apprising them about the “murderous assault” on its staff and has requested appropriate action against the passenger.
The airline also said that it has secured the CCTV footage of the incident from the airport authorities and handed it over to the police.
Strongly condemning any act of violence against its employees, SpiceJet said it will pursue this matter to its fullest legal and regulatory conclusion.
Army officials said the issue has come to the notice of the Indian Army, and “we are awaiting the conclusion of the pending investigation”.
Indian Army is fully committed to maintaining discipline and mutual respect in all civil spaces across the country, they said.
Meanwhile, IndiGo has announced imposing a flying ban on the passenger who slapped a co-traveller onboard the Mumbai-Kolkata flight Friday.
PTI
