Army Officer Booked for ‘Murderous’ Assault on SpiceJet Staff at Srinagar Airport

SRINAGAR: Police in Jammu and Kashmir have registered two cases after a senior Army officer allegedly assaulted multiple SpiceJet employees at Srinagar Airport last week, leaving one with a spinal fracture and others with serious injuries, in what the airline has described as a “murderous assault” over an excess baggage dispute.

The incident occurred on July 26 at Boarding Gate No. 2, minutes before the scheduled 6:10 pm departure of SpiceJet flight SG-386 to Delhi. The accused, identified as Lieutenant Colonel Ritesh Kumar Singh, is posted at the High Altitude Warfare School (HAWS) in Gulmarg and was assigned seat 24D on the flight.

According to SpiceJet, the altercation began when Singh, carrying two pieces of cabin baggage weighing 16 kg, more than double the permitted 7 kg limit, was informed he would have to pay excess baggage charges. The airline said the officer refused, attempted to enter the aerobridge without completing boarding formalities, and was escorted back to the gate by a CISF officer.

“At the gate, the passenger grew increasingly aggressive and physically assaulted four members of our ground staff with punches, repeated kicks, and even used a queue stand as a weapon,” a SpiceJet spokesperson said in a statement on Sunday. “One employee collapsed unconscious but continued to be kicked. Another suffered a fractured jaw, facial injuries, and bleeding from the nose and mouth after receiving a forceful kick while helping his colleague. One victim has a spinal fracture.”

Airport medical teams administered first aid before transferring the injured to hospital, where they remain under treatment.

CCTV footage of the incident, which has since gone viral on social media, shows the officer repeatedly striking an employee with a queue stand. The airline said it had handed the footage to police along with a formal complaint.

Police in Budgam district registered two FIRs, one on the airline’s complaint, charging Singh under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for voluntarily causing hurt, criminal intimidation, and criminal assault, and a second FIR on Singh’s counter-complaint against the airline staff, alleging use of force or violence by an assembly.

Singh, when contacted by reporters, alleged he was provoked. “It was a grave provocation and harassment by the airline which led to the incident,” he is reported to have told a newspaper. “They harassed me and provoked me. That is all.”

SpiceJet has urged the Ministry of Civil Aviation to take strict action, written to the ministry detailing the incident, and initiated proceedings to place Singh on the national no-fly list. The airline said it “strongly condemns any act of violence against its employees” and will pursue the matter “to its fullest legal and regulatory conclusion.”

“The matter involving an alleged altercation between an Army personnel and airline staff at Srinagar Airport has come to the fore. The Indian Army is committed to upholding the highest standards of discipline and conduct and takes all allegations seriously,” Srinagar-based Defence spokesperson has said in a statement. “Full cooperation is being extended to the authorities in investigating the case.”

The incident has drawn sharp criticism from political parties in Jammu and Kashmir. National Conference spokesperson Sarah Hayat Shah wrote on X that the officer must be “held accountable,” calling the incident “highly condemnable and shameful.” PDP leader Iltija Mufti said: “How dare this Army officer launch a murderous assault on employees at Srinagar airport simply for refusing excess cabin luggage? His demonic rage left one of the victims with a spinal fracture. Please take immediate action to set an example.”