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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Hormuz Strait disruptions have caused huge economic impact, energy instability in region: Navy chief
Mumbai (PTI): The Strait of Hormuz disruptions have caused severe economic impact and energy instability in the region, Indian Navy chief Admiral D K Tripathi said on Thursday amid the war in West Asia.
Speaking at an event where INS Sunayna, an offshore patrol vessel, set sail from Mumbai as Indian Ocean Ship (IOS) Sagar, the admiral said competition at sea has no longer remained confined to oil and energy.
It is now expanding towards resources that will shape future growth - such as rare earth elements, critical minerals, new fishing grounds and even data, he said.
The West Asia crisis began on February 28 after a joint attack by the US and Israel on Iran.
Iran's strikes on its neighbours along with its chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz have disrupted the world's energy supplies with effects far beyond West Asia.
"With the conflict in West Asia well into its fifth week, the disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz have caused severe economic impact and energy instability in the region," Tripathi said.
There is significant increase in the marine survey, deep-sea research activity, and Illegal Unreported and Unregulated Fishing (IUU), often encroaching upon the sovereign rights of littoral nations and exploiting gaps in monitoring and enforcement, he said.
Alongside these, threats such as piracy, armed robbery and narco-trafficking backed by unimpeded access of advanced technology to non-state actors, have also become more complex and challenging to counter, the Navy chief pointed out.
Last year alone, the Indian Ocean Region witnessed a staggering 3,700 maritime incidents of varying nature, the admiral said.
Additionally, narcotics seizures in the region exceeded USD 1 billion USD in 2025, highlighting the persistence and spread of such challenges in the region, he said.
