26-year-old flyer files molestation complaint with Darjeeling Police

SILIGURI: The 26-year-old woman from Darjeeling, who was molested by a fellow passenger during a SpiceJet flight from Kolkata to Bagdogra on January 31, filed a complaint with Darjeeling Police on Sunday.
In the complaint, the woman studying for the civil services examinations, said the passenger seated next to her had started poking at her arm after take-off and then touched her inappropriately after the cabin crew had finished serving meals.She had raised a hue and cry and demanded that the airline crew report the incident at Bagdogra.
Though the accused, a fifth-year student at a law school in Kolkata, had admitted to touching her inappropriately, on reaching Bagdogra, the airline staff and a CISF officer had dissuaded her from filing a complaint and instead urged her to let him off with an apology.
"The CISF officer told me that since the accused is a law student, a complaint would ruin his career. The airline staff also said a protracted legal battle would drain me financially and mentally. Since I was travelling with an ailing relative who needed medical attention, I had left without filing a complaint," she said.
However, when her complaints to the airline did not elicit a response, she decided to lodge the police complaint. "I want a written apology from the youth as he kept on saying it was accidental and I was overreacting. I want him to realise what he did was unacceptable so that he does not dare repeat it with anyone else," she added.
Darjeeling SP Praveen Prakash said, "A woman who reached Darjeeling from Kolkata via Bagdogra has lodged a complaint with Darjeeling Police, alleging that a fellow passenger had molested her on the flight on Jan 31. We have started an investigation to trace the sequence of events."
The airline, when contacted by TOI, said efforts were made to resolve the matter by relocating both passengers to separate seats, with the crew facilitating the relocation of the male passenger.
"Upon arrival at Bagdogra airport, both passengers were assisted and escorted by SpiceJet security staff to CISF officials in the arrival area. The accused co-passenger had tendered an apology in front of CISF staff and the female passenger left the airport without filing a written complaint, hindering further investigation by SpiceJet," the airline official said.
However, there were no comments on the claim that the airline staff and CISF officer had dissuaded her from filing the complaint.