Army Officer Banned From Flying For 5 Years After Assaulting SpiceJet Staff At Srinagar Airport

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has imposed a five-year flying ban on an Army officer after he allegedly assaulted SpiceJet ground staff at Srinagar airport. The officer, identified as a Lieutenant Colonel posted at the Army's High Altitude Warfare School in Gulmarg, reportedly attacked four airline employees during a dispute over excess cabin baggage.

The incident occurred on July 26, when the officer, upset after being asked to pay for additional cabin baggage, allegedly punched, kicked, and struck staff members with a queue stand. The assault left one employee with spinal fractures and another with jaw injuries. SpiceJet's Mudasir Ahmad was among the four staffers injured in the altercation.

Following the violent episode, the matter was referred to the DGCA after an internal probe. The aviation regulator on Tuesday announced that the officer would remain on India's no-fly list for five years, barring him from traveling on any domestic or international flights operated by Indian airlines until 2030.

SpiceJet had already taken disciplinary action, placing the officer on its no-fly list for the same duration. "The passenger who hit the airline staff has been declared unruly, and it has been decided to put him on the airline's no-fly list. He will not be able to fly on any of SpiceJet's domestic or international flights for five years," an airline official told the Hindustan Times.

The Indian Army has also responded to the controversy, stating that it upholds the highest standards of discipline and treats all allegations seriously. The officer, meanwhile, has filed counter FIRs against the airline.

Data presented in Parliament earlier this year shows that India has placed 379 passengers on the no-fly list over the past five years, including 48 individuals up to July 30 this year. The DGCA's latest action against the Army officer is considered among the harshest penalties imposed under India's no-fly list regulations since their introduction in 2017.