'Mistreated, missed my flight': Army officer, accused of 'murderous assault', files FIR against SpiceJet

An army officer has been booked for allegedly assaulting four SpiceJet staff members at the Srinagar airport over an excess cabin baggage dispute.

An army officer who was booked for allegedly assaulting four SpiceJet staff members at the Srinagar airport over an excess cabin baggage dispute has filed an FIR claiming he was mistreated and missed his flight, reported Times of India.

SpiceJet said it had filed an FIR with the local police, handed over CCTV footage, and initiated the process to add the passenger to its no-fly list. The army officer was on emergency leave and had also lodged an FIR claiming he was mistreated and missed his flight, the report said.

The incident, which took place on July 26 during the boarding of SpiceJet flight SG-386 to Delhi, left several airline employees with grievous injuries, including a spinal fracture and a broken jaw.

In a statement, SpiceJet said the passenger, carrying 16 kg of cabin luggage, more than double the 7 kg limit, was informed about the additional charge but refused to pay. He then attempted to enter the aerobridge forcefully without completing boarding formalities, violating airport security protocols.

“He was escorted back to the gate by a CISF official. At the gate, the passenger grew increasingly aggressive and physically assaulted four members of the SpiceJet ground staff,” the airline said.

The airline described the assault as “murderous,” saying one employee fainted but was still kicked repeatedly. “One SpiceJet employee collapsed unconscious on the floor, but the passenger continued kicking and hitting the fainted employee. 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. The injured employees were rushed to the hospital and remain under treatment for the grievous injuries sustained,” the statement said.

The Indian Army said it was fully cooperating in investigating the case. The Army released a statement saying, "The matter involving an alleged altercation between an Army personnel and airline staff at Srinagar Airport on 26 July 2025 has come to the notice of the Indian Army. The Indian Army is committed to uphold highest standards of discipline and conduct and takes all allegations seriously. Full cooperation is being extended to the authorities in investigating the case."