New Delhi: The woman who complained about a male co-passenger urinating on her during an Air India flight in November had informed the crew that she did not want to see his face and was “stunned” when the offender was brought before her and “started crying and profusely apologising”.
According to Delhi Police’s FIR against the accused, he also begged her not to lodge a complaint, saying he was a family man and did not wish his wife and child to be affected by the incident.
The woman alleged that despite her unwillingness, she was forced to confront the accused and negotiate with him, further disorienting her, according to the FIR registered on Wednesday based on her complaint to Air India.
According to the FIR, shortly after lunch was served and the lights were switched off on board AI 102 of November 26, the inebriated male passenger seated in Business Class seat 8A walked to the elderly woman’s seat, unzipped his pants and urinated on her.
He kept standing there until the person sitting next to the woman told him to go back, at which point he “staggered back to his seat”.
“I immediately got up to notify the stewardess of what had happened. My clothes, shoes and bag were soaked in urine. The bag contained my passport, travel documents and currency. The flight staff refused to touch them, sprayed my bag and shoes with disinfectant, and took me to the bathroom and gave me a set of airline pyjamas and socks.
“I asked the staff for a change of seat but was told that no other seats were available. However, another business class passenger who had witnessed my plight and was advocating for me pointed out that there were seats available in first class,” the victim was quoted as saying in the FIR.
The woman also accused the crew of being “deeply unprofessional” and said they were not proactive in managing a “very sensitive and traumatic situation”.
She added that her son-in-law sent a complaint to Air India on November 27 and the airline had agreed to reimburse the ticket. However, it has only issued a partial refund that, she said, was “hardly sufficient compensation for my traumatic experience”.
Meanwhile, a police officer said that teams have sent to Mumbai and Bengaluru. The office of the accused is situated in Bengaluru and it was found in primary investigation that he was working from home, however, the investigation is underway. Police are trying to nab him.
Air India CEO Campbell Wilson, in an internal communication to employees, told airline staff to report any improper behaviour on aircraft to authorities at the earliest even if the matter appeared to have been settled.
—PTI

Press Trust of India