'Sorry sir': Video of IndiGo passenger apologising to pilot after hitting him over flight delay goes viral

An incident involving a passenger named Sahil Kataria and an IndiGo pilot, Captain Anup Kumar, made headlines after Kataria physically assaulted the pilot during an announcement about a delay in takeoff. The altercation occurred at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport and was captured on video, which subsequently went viral on social media.

Meanwhile, another video has surfaced showing Sahil Kataria offering an apology with folded hands, seemingly directed towards the pilot. The footage shows Kataria expressing regret, saying "sorry sir" to a person recording the scene, while being escorted away by authorities on the tarmac. The person behind the camera responds to Kataria's apology by stating, "no sorry."

The assault took place against the backdrop of a thick smog that had reduced visibility to zero at the airport from 5 am to 10 am, resulting in over 400 flight delays. The pilot was making an announcement regarding the delay of the Goa-bound flight when Kataria charged at him and hit him, causing distress among the cabin crew and passengers.

Following the incident, there were calls for Kataria to be declared an unruly passenger and placed on the no-fly list. IndiGo Airlines formed an internal committee to address the matter, and according to officials, the committee will discuss the possibility of adding Kataria to the 'No Fly List' under the category of unruly behavior. If found guilty of such behavior, a passenger can be banned from flying for a period ranging from three months to indefinitely, depending on the severity of the offense.

The Delhi Police received a complaint about the incident and registered a case against Kataria under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Aircraft Rules. 

"We received a complaint and are taking appropriate legal action," PTI quoted a Delhi police officer as saying.

The co-pilot of IndiGo flight number 6E 2175, which was en route from Delhi to Goa, along with other security personnel, filed a complaint against Sahil Kataria for alleged assault and misbehavior during the flight. The complaint stated that Kataria created a disturbance inside the aircraft, misbehaved, and physically assaulted the co-pilot.

Subsequently, a case has been registered against Sahil Kataria under sections 323 (punishment for voluntarily causing hurt), 341 (punishment for wrongful restraint), and 290 (punishment for creating public nuisance) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), along with section 22 of the Aircraft Rules. The police have initiated an investigation into the matter.

Also Read: IndiGo asks internal panel to put passenger on 'no fly list' for hitting pilot due to flight delay