A senior Army officer attacking SpiceJet staff at Srinagar International Airport over an excess baggage dispute (Reuters)
Employees "suffered a spinal fracture and serious jaw injuries after being attacked with punches, repeated kicks, and a queue stand," according to the airline's official statement. The airline further disclosed that the event happened on July 26, 2025, at the boarding gate of flight SG-386 from Srinagar to Delhi.
On Sunday, August 3, the incident's footage became viral on social media. The passenger can also be seen using a queue stand to physically attack the officials in the footage.
The senior Army commander who was traveling was carrying two pieces of cabin baggage totaling 16 kg, which was more than double the 7 kg allowed weight limit. The passenger blatantly violated aviation security procedures by forcing their way into the aerobridge without finishing the boarding process after being courteously notified of the extra luggage and asked to pay the associated fees. A CISF official took him back to the gate," SpiceJet stated.
Reportedly on July 26, 2025, an Army officer of the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, Ritesh Kumar Singh posted to the High-Altitude Warfare School in Gulmarg, assaulted four SpiceJet ground personnel at Srinagar International Airport. He was carrying 16 kg of cabin luggage which was more than double the allowed 7 kg for domestic sectors. When asked to pay for excess baggage, the officer refused and forcibly entered the aerobridge without fulfilling boarding formalities, a clear deviation from security protocols.
As claimed by SpiceJet, the officer attacked the staff with Olympic punches, repeated kicks, and an information stand. The victims suffered grievous injuries, including a spinal fracture, broken jaw, bleeding from the nose and mouth, and one at least fainted during the attack but continued to be attacked.
The airline referred to the attack as a murderous assault and is seeking to place the officer on its no-fly list by the civil aviation protocols. Disciplinary action in this case has also been forwarded to the Ministry of Civil Aviation.
The CISF (Central Industrial Security Force), which comes under the Ministry of Home Affairs and provides security at airports, acted swiftly to grab hold of the officer, releasing him once the flight operations were resumed. Meanwhile, after the incident, the Army has come out acknowledging it and promising to support the investigations. So far, no arrest has been made.
