Woman on wheelchair asked to stand thrice at Kolkata airport: 'Appalling lack of empathy'

The woman on the wheelchair told the officer at Kolkata airport that she would not be able to stand up as she was disabled but officer insisted her to stands up. (Representational Image).

A wheelchair-bound woman shared a distressing incident on Thursday where she said that one of the staff members at Kolkata airport asked her to stand thrice despite repeatedly mentioning that she was suffering from a disability.

The woman named Arushi Singh from Gurgaon wrote on X (formerly Twitter) that the incident took place on Wednesday where a woman officer at the airport asked her to stand up and make her way inside the kiosk.

Yesterday evening during the security clearance at Kolkata airport, the officer asked me (a wheelchair user) to stand up, not once but thrice. First she asked me to get up and walk two steps into the kiosk. (1/1)

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— Arushi Singh (@singhharushi) February 1, 2024

Told her I can’t as I have a disability. Inside she again asked me to stand up. I said I can’t. She said sirf 2 minute khade ho jao. I explained again that I have a disability by birth. (2/1)

— Arushi Singh (@singhharushi) February 1, 2024

Does the @CISFHQrs manual on airport security ask to insult people with disability? This appalling lack of empathy has left me shaken, furious. There have been instances in the past too and shows that Kolkata airport has learnt nothing from them. @DGCAIndia@MoCA_GoI

— Arushi Singh (@singhharushi) February 1, 2024

"Truly unfortunate. Pace of change is slow to nonexistent. More than training the mindset of people has to change for a truly inclusive society to evolve," one user wrote.

"Sorry to hear. We don't have to blame her training or basics but as Indian we lack humanity," another user wrote.

"This is awful! Hope it is addressed sooner rather than later!" a third user wrote.