Pic of bleeding passenger 'assaulted' by pilot at Delhi airport goes viral, Civil aviation ministry orders inquiry
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Pic of bleeding passenger 'assaulted' by pilot at Delhi airport goes viral, Civil aviation ministry orders inquiry")
Air India plane Photograph: (ANI)
In the photo posted by the 'victim' Ankit Dewan on X one can see blood on his face. He also alleges that his seven-year-old daughter was present at the scene.
An airline traveller has accused an Air India Express pilot of physically assaulting him during a dispute at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport on (December 19, 2025). The incident was shared by the passenger on social media platforms after which the pilot who was off-duty when the scuffle took place has been suspended by the airlines pending investigation.
"We unequivocally condemn such behaviour. The employee concerned has been removed from official duties with immediate effect, pending investigation. Appropriate disciplinary action will be initiated based on the findings of the inquiry," the airline said.
In the photo posted by the 'victim' Ankit Dewan on X one can see blood on his face. He also alleges that his seven-year-old daughter was present at the scene and has been traumatised since then.
Explaining the entire situation Dewan wrote, "The staff was cutting the queue ahead of me. On calling them out, Capt. Virender, who himself was doing the same thing, asked me if I was anpadh (uneducated), and couldn't read the signs that said this entry was for staff," Dewan said, adding a verbal altercation followed.
"Not able to exercise restraint, the AIX [Air India Express] pilot proceeded to physically assault me, leaving me bloody. The blood in the photograph on his shirt is also mine," he added.
Civil aviation ministry takes cognisance
Ministry of Civil Aviation has also taken cognisance of the matter and ordered a formal inquiry into the incident. It has directed the airline to ground the pilot with immediate effect and has sought detailed reports from the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) and the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), which takes care of security at the airport.
"The Ministry of Civil Aviation has taken serious cognisance of the incident and directed the airline to ground the pilot with immediate effect. A formal enquiry has been ordered. Detailed reports have been sought from BCAS and CISF," MoCA posted on X.
