NEW DELHI: In a shocking incident, a senior army officer grievously assaulted four SpiceJet employees at Srinagar airport on July 26 during the checking process before the SG-386 flight was to take off to Delhi.
An FIR has been booked against the officer, and the airline has banned him from travelling on its flights. Three of the employees sustained injuries and are recovering now after hospitalisation.
The incident happened at the boarding gate for flight SG-386 from Srinagar to Delhi. According to the airline ticket, the army officer is reportedly identified as Ritesh Kumar Singh.
According to Spicejet, "The passenger, the 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 added, "At the gate, the passenger turned aggressive and physically assaulted four members of the SpiceJet ground staff."
"A SpiceJet employee suffered a spinal fracture and serious jaw injuries after being attacked with punches, repeated kicks", it said.
Another employee collapsed unconscious on the floor, but the passenger continued kicking and hitting him.
A third staffer suffered bleeding from the nose and mouth after receiving a forceful kick in the jaw while bending down to assist the colleague who had fainted, the statement said.
The injured employees were rushed to the hospital. "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 added.
SpiceJet has written to the Ministry of Civil Aviation apprising them about the murderous assault on its staff and has requested appropriate action against the passenger.
According to a CISF comment posted online, its personnel managed the situation and ensured no disruption to flight operations.
The airline has secured the CCTV footage of the incident from the airport authorities and handed it over to the police.
SpiceJet strongly condemns any act of violence against its employees and will pursue the matter to its fullest legal and regulatory conclusion, the statement said.
Asked about the incident, Army officials said full cooperation is being extended to authorities and that "we are awaiting the conclusion of the pending investigation."
"The matter involving an alleged altercation between an Army personnel and airline staff at Srinagar Airport on 26 July 2025 has come to the notice of the Indian Army. The Indian Army is committed to uphold highest standards of discipline and conduct and takes all allegations seriously. Full cooperation is being extended to the authorities in investigating the case," PRO (Defence), Srinagar, said in the statement.