Latest news with #RiteshKumarSingh
Indian Express
3 days ago
- Indian Express
Army officer and SpiceJet staff row: Violence cannot be defended – but a broader conversation is needed
On Sunday, an Indian Army officer was booked for allegedly assaulting four members of SpiceJet's staff at the Srinagar International Airport. The incident happened on July 26 when the airline's airport staff were allegedly thrashed after they asked the officer, Ritesh Kumar Singh, who was flying out of Srinagar, to pay a fee for extra luggage. At the outset, the incident cannot be condoned as it was a grave violation of the service ethos; the pillar on which the Armed Forces groom its officers. However, certain facets of the unfortunate incident at Srinagar airport and similar incidents in general, merit a sound analysis. On July 26, Singh reportedly arrived alone at the airport, carrying two cabin bags. It is possible that he was travelling for a short leave to attend to an urgent domestic commitment. This is common practice among soldiers — they struggle to get leaves sanctioned, and have to manage travel bookings on a short notice and at an affordable price. His bag had reportedly been cleared at the check-in counter. The officer was confronted by the ground staff on the issue of extra weight. As per reports, the officer explained his situation and even attempted to lighten his bag by discarding a few items. However, instead of assisting him, the staff allegedly got confrontational. Perhaps, the issue at hand could have been resolved amicably. Thereafter, the concerned airline lodged a police complaint that turned into FIR; this created a narrative that painted Singh in a bad light. It was lapped up by the media without hearing the other side or heeding the context. Sadly, true to the information age, the true story is always the first that comes out. Instances of dissatisfaction of passengers vis-a-vis the ground staff at airports have become common. Yet it seems like because of its potential to boost TRPs, the media ran with this one-sided version. Of late, incidents of public altercations involving Armed Forces' personnel have become a new normal. Once the headlines fade, it becomes business as usual for viewers who could not care less about the outcome of blaming and shaming the offender. The news of an Indian Army colonel and his son being attacked by three Punjab police inspectors in Patiala in March this year, after stirring much furore, has receded from the headlines. In these cases, the question is: What triggers such conduct towards Armed Forces personnel? A tiff over extra baggage or over a parking space (in Patiala)? Really? Such incidents are just not about hierarchy or protocol. These point to a deeper malaise, the basis of which is a diminishing sense of empathy towards armed forces in general. A few days ago, we watched our parliamentarians praise our Armed Forces during the proceedings of the debate on Operation Sindoor. Armed forces can not be a prop to demonstrate one's nationalism as lip service. In the end, what Singh did cannot be condoned. But the attitude and circumstances surrounding the incident can hopefully sensitise society about the challenges Armed Forces personnel face. They merely ask for reasonable accommodation, nothing more. Author and philosopher G K Chesterton said, 'the soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him.' The love and prestige that a soldier gets from his countrymen, keep him ticking in the most trying conditions, away from his family. Let us never undermine that. The writer is an Indian Army veteran and currently teaches at OP Jindal Global University
BBC News
3 days ago
- BBC News
SpiceJet: Indian airline files case against army officer seen hitting staff in viral video
Police in Indian-administered Kashmir have opened an investigation against an Indian army officer for allegedly assaulting an airline's staff, after he was asked to pay for excess baggage. The incident took place on 26 July at the Srinagar airport but made headlines over the weekend, after a video showing the man hitting the ground staff of SpiceJet with a metal stand went viral online. The carrier said that one of the employees had suffered a "spinal fracture and serious jaw injuries" in the assault. The army officer, Ritesh Kumar Singh, has denied the allegations, claiming he was "provoked" by the staff. He has also reportedly filed a police complaint against SpiceJet for allegedly assaulting him. The Indian army said it was looking into the incident and would decide on the further course of action based on the outcome of the investigation."The Indian Army is committed to upholding the highest standards of discipline and conduct and takes all allegations seriously," its public relations office said on said in a statement that the incident took place when Mr Singh was about to board a flight to Delhi from airline said Mr Singh was carrying cabin luggage that weighed twice the permissible the staff asked him to pay for the excess luggage, he allegedly refused and forcefully entered the aerobridge - a passageway that connects the airport terminal to the aircraft - without completing the boarding process, it staff members escorted Mr Singh back to the gate where he "grew increasingly aggressive and assaulted four members of SpiceJet ground staff", the airline shared online show Mr Singh hitting one of the employees with a metal stand.A security guard grabs the stand from Mr Singh and tries to push him away. Despite this, Mr Singh continues to lash out at the staff with punches and expletives. A policeman then steps in, intervening and separating him from the to the airline, one employee fell unconscious on the floor but Mr Singh continued kicking and hitting him."Another staff member suffered bleeding from the nose and mouth after receiving a forceful kick to the jaw while bending down to assist the colleague who had fainted," it said it has submitted the CCTV footage of the incident to the police and initiated the process of placing the passenger on the no-fly Singh, however, told The Indian Express newspaper that the SpiceJet staff had allegedly harassed and provoked in Kashmir have registered a case against Mr Singh for criminal intimidation and for criminal assault or Mr Singh has filed a police complaint against SpiceJet staff for use of force or violence by an assembly.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Time of India
FIR against Army officer for 'assault' of SpiceJet staff at Srinagar Airport
Srinagar: A Lieutenant Colonel of the Indian Army grievously assaulted four SpiceJet staffers at the Srinagar airport last month following an altercation over the issue of excess baggage. The victims have suffered back bone fractures and serious jaw injuries. The J&K police has registered a case against Lt Col Ritesh Kumar Singh , who is posted in Gulmarg in northern Kashmir on a formal complaint of SpiceJet. A counter FIR has been registered as well following the complaint of the Army officer. The video, purportedly of the incident shot inside the Srinagar airport, went viral on social media on Sunday. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Please select course: Select a Course Category Design Thinking Data Science CXO others Artificial Intelligence Others Data Analytics healthcare Finance Cybersecurity MBA Public Policy Healthcare Digital Marketing Technology Product Management Project Management Degree MCA Data Science PGDM Operations Management Leadership Management Skills you'll gain: Duration: 25 Weeks IIM Kozhikode CERT-IIMK PCP DTIM Async India Starts on undefined Get Details Skills you'll gain: Duration: 22 Weeks IIM Indore CERT-IIMI DTAI Async India Starts on undefined Get Details Spicejet said that a passenger grievously assaulted four SpiceJet employees at the boarding gate of flight SG-386 from Srinagar to Delhi on July 26, 2025. "Our staff members suffered a spinal fracture and serious jaw injuries after being attacked with punches, repeated kicks and a queue stand." by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like This Japanese AI invention allows you to speak 68 languages instantly. The idea? Genius. Enence 2.0 Undo
NDTV
4 days ago
- NDTV
Case Against Army Officer And SpiceJet Staffer He Assaulted Over Luggage
New Delhi: A violent clash at the Srinagar airport has led to a police case being filed against an Army officer and a SpiceJet staffer he is accused of assaulting over a dispute concerning excess cabin luggage. The incident, which occurred on July 26, during the boarding of SpiceJet flight SG-386 bound for Delhi, resulted in serious injuries to four SpiceJet employees, including a spinal fracture and severe jaw injuries. According to a statement released by SpiceJet, the incident began when the Army officer, identified as Ritesh Kumar Singh, attempted to board the Delhi-bound flight with two pieces of cabin luggage weighing a total of 16 kilograms. Under Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) regulations, cabin luggage exceeding 7 kilograms incurs additional charges for domestic flights. When informed of the excess weight and the associated fee, the officer reportedly refused to comply and attempted to forcibly enter the aerobridge without completing the mandatory boarding process, breaching aviation security protocols. A Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) official, responsible for airport security, escorted the officer back to the boarding gate. It was at this point, SpiceJet alleges, that the situation escalated. The officer became increasingly aggressive, launching a physical assault on four members of the airline's ground staff. The attack involved punches, repeated kicks, and the use of a queue stand as a weapon. According to the airline, one staff member suffered a spinal fracture, while another sustained serious jaw injuries, including bleeding from the nose and mouth, after receiving a forceful kick to the face while attempting to assist a colleague. The Army has taken note of the matter and is supporting the civil investigation, a source within the Army said.
New Indian Express
4 days ago
- New Indian Express
‘Spinal fracture, jaw injuries': Army officer assaults SpiceJet staff at Srinagar Airport
NEW DELHI: In a shocking incident, a senior army officer grievously assaulted four SpiceJet employees at Srinagar airport on July 26 during the checking process before the SG-386 flight was to take off to Delhi. An FIR has been booked against the officer, and the airline has banned him from travelling on its flights. Three of the employees sustained injuries and are recovering now after hospitalisation. The incident happened at the boarding gate for flight SG-386 from Srinagar to Delhi. According to the airline ticket, the army officer is reportedly identified as Ritesh Kumar Singh.
