Srinagar: An airline passenger, supposedly an Army officer, has been charged for a ‘murderous assault’ on SpiceJet staff at the Srinagar airport. Four airline employees suffered ‘grievous injuries’, it has been claimed. One of them suffered a fracture to his spine, SpiceJet has said.
The fracas broke out after the passenger was told that his hand baggage was too heavy. The man allegedly lost his cool after being asked to pay for luggage weighing more than 7 kg.
He repeatedly punched and kicked the airline staff after being told that he could not carry cabin luggage beyond the 7 kg limit. An employee fainted on the floor, but he kept kicking him, the airline claimed in a statement. A video of the assault has also gone viral. It shows a man in an orange t-shirt beating up people before being restrained by a Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel.
The CISF, in charge of security at airports across the country, said their personnel intervened promptly and managed the situation. The Army has taken cognisance of the incident. It said it is looking into the matter and is supporting the civil investigation.
“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,” SpiceJet said in a statement.
“One SpiceJet employee collapsed unconscious on the floor but the passenger continued kicking and hitting the fainted employee. 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. The injured employees were rushed to hospital and remain under treatment for the grievous injuries sustained,” the airline added.
“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,” it added.
At the gate, the passenger grew increasingly aggressive and physically assaulted four members of the SpiceJet ground staff, it said.
“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. SpiceJet has written to the Ministry of Civil Aviation appraising them about the murderous assault on its staff and has requested appropriate action against the passenger,” the statement added.
Sources claimed that the accused has been identified as a Lieutenant Colonel posted at the High Altitude Warfare School (HAWS) in Gulmarg, Jammu and Kashmir.