Korean bizwoman groped at Bengaluru airport: Air India staff arrested after CCTV backs ‘touched and hugged me’ claim

• South Korean woman accuses Air India staff of sexual harassment at Bengaluru airport.
• Accused was detained, arrested, and sent to jail after complaint and CCTV review
• Airport confirms accused was not authorized to frisk passengers

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A 32-year-old businesswoman from South Korea has accused an Air India ground-handling staff member at Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) of sexually harassing her in the international departure area on Monday. The incident allegedly took place at Terminal 2 while the woman was preparing to board her flight back home.

According to police, the woman had arrived in India in November on a tourist visa and was returning to South Korea when the incident occurred around 10.45 am. After she completed frisking by the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and cleared immigration, a man approached her claiming to be airport staff, The Times of India reported.

The accused, identified as Mohammed Affann Ahmed (25) from Kammanahalli, allegedly checked her boarding pass and told her there was a problem with her checked-in baggage. He then claimed that resolving the issue would take time and asked her to come with him for what he called “manual frisking”.

The woman said Ahmed took her near the men’s washroom and, under the pretext of frisking, touched her chest several times and asked her to turn around. He allegedly also touched her private parts. When she objected, he hugged her, thanked her and asked her to leave, according to the complaint.

The woman immediately alerted airport authorities. Officials detained Ahmed, who works as a ground staff member with Air India SATS, and informed the KIA police.

Airport authorities later clarified that Ahmed was not authorised to conduct frisking of passengers. In case of any suspicion, he was required to inform immigration officials or CISF personnel so that checks could be carried out by authorised female security staff.

Police said CCTV footage from the airport supports the woman’s statement. A case has been registered against Ahmed on charges of sexual harassment. He was arrested on Tuesday and sent to Central Jail at Parappana Agrahara.