Watch | New video shifts blame in Srinagar SpiceJet-Army officer scuffle
Screen grab from the video showing the Army officer's brutal attack on Spice Jet staff at Srinagar airport | X
In what could probably be a twist in the tale, a new video on the Spice Jet staffer assault incident has surfaced online, which suggests the Army official was not the first to start the fight. The video shows a white shirt-clad man, probably a SpiceJet staffer, physically assaulting the Army officer, who then turns aggressive.
The incident that happened at Srinagar airport last month. According to the statement by SpiceJet, the army officer, who was to board a flight to Delhi, was carrying two pieces of cabin luggage, weighing 16 kg. He refused to pay additional charges for the baggage and forcefully attempted to enter the aerobridge. “He was escorted back to the gate by a CISF official," SpiceJet said in a statement, adding that “at the gate, the passenger grew increasingly aggressive and physically assaulted four members of the SpiceJet ground staff."
However, the video, which is unverified, shows a different picture. An airline staffer is seen hitting the official, a Lieutenant Colonel, first, after which he retaliates.
The video comes a day after an individual, who identifies as an eyewitness, posted on X about “one-sided narratives” in this regard. Slamming media, he says the officer was aggressively confronted by SpiceJet staff about his bag’s weight. “He calmly explained and removed items to lighten it, but the staff mocked him, saying, “Aaj army wala fansa hai,” aiming to intimidate or fine him.
The eyewitness claimed that the Army official asked for a senior official, but the SpiceJet staff refused and shut the gates. “A minor scuffle ensued; he was outnumbered, shaken, and visibly injured. Claims he "assaulted" staff are false,” the witness added. He claimed that some sources amplified Spice Jet’s version, and the truth was that an unprofessional airline mistreated a lone, uniformed officer.
Meanwhile, the SpiceJet employee Mudasir Ahmad Khan, who suffered spinal injuries, said he was targeted for doing his work. Khan said he was hit with a bag and punched till he bled. He alleged that the Army official didn’t let others help him when he fell unconscious in the attack.
India