AI passenger assault: Eyewitness' statements recorded, CCTV footage under scanner
New Delhi (PTI): The Delhi Police on Wednesday said it had recorded statements of eyewitnesses and begun collecting evidence in connection with the alleged assault on a passenger by an off-duty Air India Express pilot at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport here.
Police said the complainant was called on Tuesday to record his statement, collect evidence, and medical checkup.
A counter-complaint has been received from the pilot, and an inquiry into that is underway, a police officer said.
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CCTV footage from multiple cameras installed in and around the security area of Terminal 1 is being collected and examined to reconstruct the sequence of events, the officer said.
An FIR was registered under sections 115 (voluntarily causing hurt), 126 (wrongful restraint) and 351 (criminal intimidation) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) after police received a complaint via email from the victim, Ankit Dewan, on Monday.
As it happened, on December 19, Dewan claimed he was physically assaulted near the Terminal 1 security checkpoint by Air India Express captain Virender Sejwal, who was off duty at the time and travelling as a passenger.
According to the complaint, the altercation began after Dewan objected to some airline staff members allegedly jumping the queue.
He said the pilot abused and assaulted him in public view over the objection, causing injuries and traumatising his seven-year-old daughter, who witnessed the incident.
In a subsequent statement, Dewan said a CT scan confirmed a displaced fracture of his left nasal bone.
Air India Express said it was aware of the incident and that the accused pilot had been removed from official duties with immediate effect pending an internal investigation.
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Real Madrid fines Valverde and Tchouaméni half a million euros each for altercation
Barcelona (AP): Real Madrid slapped players Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni with half-a-million-euro ($588,000) fines on Friday for their altercation during practice.
The massive fines came a day after the midfielders tussled when the team trained. Valverde said in a post on social media on Thursday that no punches were thrown. But Valverde knocked his head on a table and he suffered a small cut that required a brief hospital visit.
On social media, Valverde initially called it a “meaningless fight” with a teammate and said “everything has been blown out of proportion."
His employers, however, considered it a significant enough breach of team discipline to nail both Valverde and Tchouaméni with fines that bite even the bank account of a top soccer player. The half-a-million euro penalties reflect the reputational damage the club was enduring in a chaotic end to a disappointing season.
In a statement, the 15-time European champion said its disciplinary action was concluded after both players expressed to the club “their complete remorse for what happened and apologized to one another.”
Madrid added they also apologized to their teammates, the coaching staff and club supporters, as well as showing their willingness to accept whatever disciplinary action the club deemed “opportune.”
Tchouaméni was back training with Madrid on Friday, two days before they play at Barcelona in a clasico. Madrid has to win otherwise Barcelona will be crowned La Liga champion.
After being notified of the fine, he posted a public apology to the club and its fans on social media.
“What happened this week in training is unacceptable,” Tchouaméni wrote. "I say this while thinking about the example we are expected to set for young people, whether in football or at school.
“Above all, I am sorry for the image we projected of the club.”
Valverde was not at practice due to the head knock.
Both players are set to play in the World Cup next month, with Tchouaméni playing for France and Valverde for Uruguay.
Chaotic end to a poor season
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The run-in between the players, who for seasons have played side by side in Madrid's midfield, came after they argued this week in previous training sessions. But tempers boiled over on Thursday. Spanish media was rife with reports that the players previously disagreed over the club's decision to let coach Xabi Alonso go after just months on the job.
It was not the only altercation involving Madrid players during training this week. Álvaro Carreras confirmed he was in a “minor” incident with a teammate. Spanish media said he and fellow defender Antonio Rüdiger got into a scuffle.
Álvaro Arbeloa, the coach who was promoted from Madrid's reserve team when Alonso was fired in January, will face tough questions on what went wrong inside the changing room when he gives a press conference on Saturday ahead of the clasico at Camp Nou.
Madrid is facing a second consecutive campaign without a major trophy amid rumors in the Spanish media that club president Florentino Pérez is considering bringing back Jose Mourinho to straighten out his underperforming team.
