The Ministry of Civil Aviation has ordered a formal inquiry and grounded a pilot after a shocking altercation at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport. The incident, which occurred on Friday at Terminal 1, involved an Air India Express pilot allegedly physically assaulting a passenger.
What Triggered the Altercation?
The conflict began at the staff entry gate. According to sources, CISF personnel directed passenger Ankit Dewan, who was travelling with his family including a four-month-old infant in a stroller, to use the staff gate for convenience. Captain Virender Sejwal, an Air India Express pilot who was 'dead heading' to Bengaluru as a passenger on an IndiGo flight, was using the same queue.
A CISF source explained that Captain Sejwal was proceeding ahead in the queue on the crew side. Ankit Dewan questioned this, reportedly using indecent language. When Dewan did not stop despite being asked by CISF personnel, the situation escalated. "The captain hit him. The personnel on duty separated them," the source stated.
Immediate Fallout and Passenger's Trauma
Following the fight, both individuals continued to their respective destinations. However, the ministry took swift action on Saturday. The Ministry of Civil Aviation directed Air India Express to ground Captain Sejwal with immediate effect. They have also sought detailed reports from the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) and the CISF.
From his destination, Ankit Dewan took to social media platform X to describe his ordeal. He claimed the pilot asked him if he was "anpadh (uneducated)" before the verbal argument turned physical. Dewan stated he was left bloody, had to see a doctor, and that his seven-year-old daughter was traumatised from witnessing the assault. He also raised serious questions about the pilot's temperament and airport management, questioning how such an individual could be trusted with passenger safety.
He further alleged he was pressured at the airport, saying, "I was forced to write a letter stating that I will not pursue this matter. It was either write that letter, or miss my flight." No formal police complaint has been lodged.
Official Responses and Ongoing Probe
Air India Express responded firmly to the incident. A spokesperson said, "We unequivocally condemn such behaviour. The employee concerned has been removed from official duties with immediate effect, pending investigation." The airline confirmed Captain Sejwal did not operate his rostered flight from Bengaluru.
The CISF provided their account, noting that their personnel offered to take Dewan to the airport police station to file a complaint. He, however, provided a written statement declining to pursue legal action at that time. A key aspect of the ministry's probe is examining why no one, including the CISF personnel present, intervened before the situation reached the point of physical assault.
The investigation led by the civil aviation authorities is now ongoing, focusing on the conduct of all parties involved and the security protocols at the airport entry point.
