Indian army officer under investigation for alleged assault on airline staff

SpiceJet is an Indian low-cost airline

Police in Indian-administered Kashmir have opened an investigation against an Indian army officer for assaulting an airline's staff, after he was asked to pay for excess baggage.

The incident took place on 26 July at the Srinagar airport but made headlines over the weekend, after a video showing the man hitting the ground staff of SpiceJet with a metal stand went viral online.

The carrier said that one of the employees had suffered a "spinal fracture and serious jaw injuries" in the assault.

The army officer, Ritesh Kumar Singh, has denied the allegations, claiming he was "provoked" by the staff. He has also reportedly filed a police complaint against SpiceJet for allegedly assaulting him.

The Indian army said it was looking into the incident and would decide on the further course of action based on the outcome of the investigation.

"The Indian Army is committed to upholding the highest standards of discipline and conduct and takes all allegations seriously," its public relations office said on Sunday.

SpiceJet said in a statement that the incident took place when Mr Singh was about to board a flight to Delhi from Srinagar.

The airline said Mr Singh was carrying cabin luggage that weighed twice the permissible limit.

When the staff asked him to pay for the excess luggage, he allegedly refused and forcefully entered the aerobridge - a passageway that connects the airport terminal to the aircraft - without completing the boarding process, it added.

Some staff members escorted Mr Singh back to the gate where he "grew increasingly aggressive and assaulted four members of SpiceJet ground staff", the airline said.

Clips shared online show Mr Singh hitting one of the employees with a metal stand.

A security guard grabs the stand from Mr Singh and tries to push him away. Despite this, Mr Singh continues to lash out at the staff with punches and expletives. A policeman then steps in, intervening and separating him from the crew.

According to the airline, one employee fell unconscious on the floor but Mr Singh continued kicking and hitting him.

"Another staff member suffered bleeding from the nose and mouth after receiving a forceful kick to the jaw while bending down to assist the colleague who had fainted," it alleged.

SpiceJet said it has submitted the CCTV footage of the incident to the police and initiated the process of placing the passenger on the no-fly list.

Mr Singh, however, told The Indian Express newspaper that the SpiceJet staff had allegedly harassed and provoked him.

Police in Kashmir have registered a case against Mr Singh for criminal intimidation and for criminal assault or force.

Meanwhile, Mr Singh has filed a police complaint against SpiceJet staff for use of force or violence by an assembly.