Indian-Origin Man Arrested After Attacking Passenger On Frontier Airlines Flight

An Indian-origin man was arrested following an alleged violent confrontation with another passenger aboard a Frontier Airlines flight from Philadelphia to Miami on Monday night. The video of the fight has gone viral.

The accused is identified as a 21-year-old Ishaan Sharma from New Jersey. He was taken into custody after the plane landed at Miami International Airport and now faces battery charges, The Sun reported.

"Let him go. Stop, let him go," a passenger can be heard saying, while a crew member instructs, "Sir, you have to sit down."

Evans told WSVN that the clash was unprovoked, claiming Sharma began acting strangely and making threats. "He was doing some, like, dark laugh like, 'Ha ha ha ha ha,' and he was saying things like, 'You puny, mortal man, if you challenge me, it will result in your death,'" Evans said.

Evans said he reported Sharma's behaviour to the crew and was told to press the assistance button if it continued. Shortly after, Sharma allegedly approached him again. "He just got up, put his forehead on mine like he was challenging me, and then grabbed me by the throat and started choking me," Evans recalled. "At that moment, it was fight or flight... all I could do was defend myself."

The fight left Sharma with a cut above his left eyebrow, while Evans suffered facial scratches. Witnesses reported that Sharma returned to his seat smiling and took selfies of his bloodied face before being handcuffed and removed from the plane.

According to The Daily Mail, Sharma was treated at Jackson West Hospital before being detained. During his court hearing on Tuesday, his attorney, Renee Gordon, argued that the incident stemmed from Sharma's meditation. "My client is from a religion where he was meditating," Gordon said. "Unfortunately, the passenger behind him did not like that."

Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Gerald Hubbart remained unconvinced, setting Sharma's bond at $500 and issuing a stay-away order prohibiting him from contacting Evans or approaching his school or workplace.

"I don't want people to get the wrong idea about who I am," Evans told 7News. "I'm a good person. I recently got baptised. I just wish I had been more firm in asking to be moved away from him."