Assault on IndiGo flight: Missing passenger found at railway station

Guwahati: A man who went missing after being assaulted during a panic attack on an Indigo flight has been located at a railway station in Barpeta, Assam, nearly 800 km from Kolkata, where his flight had landed, and 400 km from Silchar, his intended destination.

The man, Hussain Ahmed Majumdar (32), hails from the Cachar district in Assam, of which Silchar is the district headquarters. He had boarded a flight from Mumbai to Kolkata on Thursday and was due to catch a connecting flight to Silchar the following day.

Instead of catching the connection flight, he boarded a train to Assam, as reported by the New Indian Express. He was going to meet his father, who is afflicted with cancer and is in a deteriorating condition.

Assault in mid-flight, missing from Kolkata

Mr Majumdar was travelling on IndiGo flight 6E-138 from Mumbai to Silchar when he experienced a panic attack. Cabin crew were assisting him and attempting to move him down the aisle when a fellow passenger, Hafijul Rahman, suddenly slapped him.

A video of the incident shows Rahman striking Majumdar. When challenged, he claimed he acted because the distressed passenger was causing him "problems", according to media reports.

Assailant detained, victim leaves airport

Once the flight landed in Kolkata, Rahman was taken into custody by the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) but was released shortly afterwards. Majumdar also left the airport premises and could not be contacted.

Family left waiting at Silchar airport

Unaware of the incident, Majumdar’s family had gone to Silchar airport on Friday to receive him. According to his father, Abdul Mannan Majumdar, they saw the video online and attempted to reach him, but his phone was switched off.

Police investigation and discovery in Barpeta

After his family filed a missing person report, police discovered that Majumdar had not boarded his connecting flight to Silchar on Friday, nor had he left Kolkata airport on Saturday.

Subsequent leads pointed to Barpeta railway station, where he was eventually found. Police officials stated he appeared to be in poor health and was being taken home.

Airline imposes ban on attacker

IndiGo Airlines has since banned Hafijul Rahman from flying on any of its services.

"The safety and well-being of our customers and crew remain our foremost priority," the airline stated. "In line with our commitment to discourage such unruly behaviour onboard flights, the individual has been suspended from flying on any IndiGo flights, in accordance with regulatory provisions."