Sexual harassment during the flight? Passenger arrested on Delhi-Chennai plane

A man from Rajasthan was arrested after a woman sitting in front of him on a Delhi-Chennai IndiGo flight accused him of sexual harassment, Hindustan Times reported on Thursday citing sources.

According to the report, the female passenger alleged that the forty-three-year-old man tried to touch her inappropriately while she was sleeping in her seat. Later, the woman protested and even filed a complaint against the suspect immediately after the flight landed at 4:30 p.m.

A case was registered following a woman’s complaint under Section 75 (sexual harassment) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The man was later arrested. So far, there has been no official statement from the airline on this matter.

“The woman filed a complaint that she was sitting on a window seat and while she was sleeping, the suspect sitting behind her – also on the window seat – inappropriately touched her,” HT quoted an officer of the All Women’s Police Station. to the airport in Meenambakkam as mentioned.

The suspect’s name is Rajesh Sharma, who hails from Rajasthan but has been in Chennai for years. According to Chennai airport staff, the suspect was seated at number 3 A at the time of the alleged harassment. This is not the first time that a female flight passenger has complained about misconduct by a male co-passenger. Last year, a man traveling on an IndiGo flight was arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting a female co-passenger.

According to the woman passenger, the man tried to sexually intimidate her by lifting the armrest and groping her while the cabin lights were dimmed during a late night flight bound for Guwahati. An FIR was registered against the man based on the woman’s allegations.

“A passenger traveling on IndiGo Flight 6E 5319 between Mumbai-Guwahati was handed over to Guwahati Police upon arrival after receiving a complaint from another passenger alleging sexual harassment,” the IndiGo spokesperson said in a statement last year an official statement on the matter.