Army officer booked for attacking SpiceJet staff at Srinagar over excess cabin baggage, leaving one with spinal fracture

A serious incident took place at Srinagar Airport on 26 July, where an Army officer reportedly attacked four SpiceJet employees at the boarding gate of flight SG-386 to Delhi. One staff member suffered a spinal fracture, while others were also seriously injured in the violent outburst. According to SpiceJet, the trouble started when the officer was informed that his cabin bag weighed 16 kg, more than twice the allowed cabin baggage limit of 7 kg. When airline staff politely asked him to pay extra charges for the excess weight, the passenger refused. Instead of complying, he forcefully entered the aerobridge without completing the standard boarding process.

“This was a clear breach of aviation security rules,” a spokesperson from SpiceJet said. A CISF (Central Industrial Security Force) officer stopped him and brought him back to the boarding gate. However, the situation quickly worsened. The passenger became more aggressive and physically attacked the airline staff. “Our employees were punched, kicked repeatedly, and even hit with a queue stand,” said the spokesperson. One staff member collapsed unconscious during the assault, but the passenger allegedly continued to kick and beat him even after he had fainted.

Another employee, who was trying to help the unconscious colleague, was kicked hard in the face. He suffered heavy bleeding from his nose and mouth. All the injured staff members were taken to hospital, where they are currently receiving treatment for their serious injuries. SpiceJet has filed an FIR (First Information Report) with the local police and has also begun the process of placing the passenger on the civil aviation “no-fly list.” The airline has written to the Ministry of Civil Aviation, requesting strict action against the individual.

CCTV footage of the incident has been handed over to the police, and the airline has said it will fully support the investigation. SpiceJet strongly condemned the attack, stating that any violence against its staff will not be tolerated and that they will take all necessary legal steps to ensure justice.