NEW DELHI: An internal committee investigating the July 26 incident at Srinagar airport, where a senior Army officer "grievously assaulted" four SpiceJet employees, has found him guilty. SpiceJet has placed the officer, Ritesh Kumar Singh, on its no-fly list for a minimum of five years, according to airline sources.
The inquiry committee, formed in accordance with Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR), comprised two retired judges and an employee from a different airline. “The committee found him guilty of assault. He will not be allowed to fly on any SpiceJet flight for at least five years,” a source confirmed.
The committee’s findings have been submitted to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and shared with other airlines. It is now up to individual carriers to decide whether to impose a similar ban.
The incident took place at the boarding gate of flight SG 386 from Srinagar to Delhi, after SpiceJet staff flagged excess baggage being carried by Singh. He reportedly flew into a rage, assaulting an employee who sustained a spinal fracture and serious jaw injuries. Another staff member collapsed after being attacked, while a third suffered bleeding from the nose and mouth after being kicked in the jaw while trying to assist a colleague who had fainted.
Following the incident, SpiceJet had immediately placed Singh on its no-fly list, filed an FIR with the police, and reported the assault to the Ministry of Civil Aviation, calling for appropriate action.
In a statement issued shortly after the incident, the airline described the attack as “murderous” and expressed concern for the safety and well-being of its employees.