JHARSUGUDA: Police on Tuesday booked the director of Veer Surendra Sai (VSS) Airport here for allegedly hurling casteist slurs and physically assaulting an employee during an official interaction.
A case was registered against airport director Sandeep Tiwari on basis of the complaint filed by Sandip Kumar Minz (43), a senior attendant and president of Jharsuguda unit of All Airports Employees’ Union, in Airport police station here.
In his complaint, Minz alleged that he approached the airport director at around 10.45 am on Tuesday to discuss matters relating to the welfare of employees. However, the discussion turned into an altercation when he insisted on taking up a particular issue. “Tiwari made caste-based remarks and physically assaulted me,” he claimed.
Minz reportedly suffered injuries in the attack and went to Jharsuguda district headquarters hospital (DHH) for medical care.
As per the OPD assessment, he sustained abrasion injuries on his chest and back, along with facial injury for which he has been advised dental consultation, the complaint stated.
Later, Minz along with members of the employees’ union went to Airport police station and lodged a complaint against Tiwari. “Among several issues, I flagged the illegal lifting of construction materials dumped near the airport premises. The airport director asked me not to discuss the matter. But when I continued to press for a response, he abused me using casteist slurs. He also threatened me with dire consequences and punched me multiple times,” alleged Minz.
While Tiwari refuted the allegations and termed those baseless, members of the employees’ union condemned the incident and demanded immediate action.
The employees sought transfer of the airport director, citing repeated instances of alleged workplace misconduct.
IIC of Airport police station Hemangini Gardia said a case has been registered against the accused under sections 115 (2), 296, and 351 (3) of the BNS. Additionally, provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 have also been invoked including sections 3 (1) (r), 3 (1) (s), 3 (2) and 5 A, Gardia added.