SpiceJet Employee Arrested After Altercation with CISF Officer at Jaipur Airport

News Mania Desk/Agnibeena Ghosh/12th July 2024

A SpiceJet staff member was arrested on Thursday after allegedly slapping a Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) officer during a dispute over security screening at Jaipur airport. The airline has termed the incident a “serious case of sexual harassment.”

CCTV footage captured the confrontation, showing the CISF officer talking to the SpiceJet employee, Anuradha Rani. Moments later, she is seen stepping towards the officer and slapping him. A female constable intervened and escorted Rani aside.

The police registered a case of assault against Rani based on the CISF officer’s complaint. Additionally, SpiceJet has approached local authorities and announced plans to take “immediate legal action” against the CISF officer.

According to SpiceJet, their employee was subjected to inappropriate language and was even asked to “come and meet him after his duty hours at his home.” The incident began when Rani, a food supervisor according to initial police reports, was asked to undergo a mandatory security screening at the airport’s crew entrance. However, no female CISF personnel were available at the time.

In a statement, SpiceJet detailed the encounter: “A female SpiceJet employee was asked to undergo mandatory screening at the nearby entrance for airline crew at Jaipur airport, but no female CISF personnel were available at the time. The female employee got agitated and slapped the on-duty CISF personnel.”

The airline later clarified Rani’s position, identifying her as a female security staff member, not a food supervisor. “While escorting a catering vehicle at the steel gate, our female security staff member, who had a valid airport entry pass issued by the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), India’s civil aviation security regulator, was subjected to inappropriate and unacceptable language by the CISF personnel,” the statement said.

DCP Kavendra Singh stated, “The woman has been arrested and her statement is being taken. The woman has also lodged a complaint. We are verifying the facts following which appropriate action will be taken.”

The CISF complaint described the sequence of events leading up to the altercation. Rani, along with other staff, was attempting to enter the airport through the “vehicle gate” around 4 am when she was stopped by Assistant Sub Inspector (ASI) Giriraj Prasad for allegedly lacking valid permission. She was instructed to undergo screening at the crew entrance, but the absence of female CISF personnel escalated the situation.

Jaipur airport SHO Ram Lal explained that the ASI called a female colleague for the security check, but the argument intensified, resulting in Rani slapping the officer. In contrast, SpiceJet’s spokesperson maintained that Rani had a valid airport entry pass and was subjected to inappropriate behavior by the CISF personnel.

“We stand firmly by our employee and are committed to providing her with full support,” the airline asserted in its statement.

The police have registered a case against the SpiceJet employee under sections 121 (1) (voluntarily causing hurt to deter a public servant from his duty) and 132 (assaulting a public servant) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The incident underscores the importance of proper conduct and the serious repercussions of disputes within airport security environments.