A 43-year-old man has been taken into custody for allegedly molesting a female passenger aboard an IndiGo flight traveling from Delhi to Chennai, according to local authorities. The accused, identified as Rajesh Sharma, was apprehended on Wednesday evening following a formal complaint lodged by the survivour.
The woman reported to the police that she was seated in front of Sharma during the flight and that the accused touched her inappropriately while she was asleep, as reported by Deccan Herald.
Reports suggest that the woman immediately made a hue and cry and informed the air hostess.
However, as the incident took place mid-flight, it prompted her to seek assistance of airport authorities upon landing.
Chennai police revealed that Sharma, originally from Rajasthan but residing in Chennai for an extended period, has been charged under section 75 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which deals with sexual harassment, reported The Hindustan Times.
Airport staff assisted the victim in filing the complaint after the flight landed in Chennai, and the investigation into the matter is ongoing. Authorities are currently looking into further details of the case.
However, Rajesh alleged that he accidentally touched her and later apologised to her.
A Vistara flight from London to Delhi carrying nearly 290 passengers in the Boeing 787 aircraft received a bomb threat on Wednesday, which was later confirmed to be a hoax after a detailed inspection upon landing in the national capital. A note with a bomb threat was discovered in one of the plane’s lavatories prompting authorities to take immediate action.
Stating that a thorough inspection of the aircraft was conducted, Delhi Police also confirmed that standard security procedures were followed. "No suspicious items were found," the police stated, as per PTI.